Curry Fried Rice with Spam

If I start to talk about fried rice, this will be an endless topic. There are all different kinds of fried rice. You can pretty much put anything in it. Some fried rice are moist and sticky, and some are dry. Some cook with soy sauce and some cook with ketchup. No matter what fried rice you make, it is important to give it enough flavors.

I am lucky to stumble upon this fried rice recipe from Uni Homemaker. Not only there is Spam, there is also curry powder. The flavor profile just sounds amazing. Savory bites from the Spam, a hint of spiciness from the curry, sweetness from the vegetables, and the umami flavors from the soy sauce. Great balance of flavors. Love this fried rice!

Let’s talk a bit more about Spam. I grew up eating Spam. We usually eat it pan fried and with instant ramens or noodles. If you haven’t tried Spam, you may think it is some not-so-good looking ground meat thing. But after they are sliced and pan fried, they are some tasty golden brown meat slices. When you first bite into the Spam, it is savory and a bit salty. Then the pork flavor would come through. It is absolutely delicious!

Now, go and make some fried rice with Spam!

Curry Fried Rice with Spam (Adapted from Uni Homemaker)

3 – 4 servings

Ingredients:

–   1¾ cups uncooked rice

–   4 large eggs (beaten)

–   9 ounces low-sodium Spam (cut into ½-inch cubes)

–   1 small onion (diced)

–   1½ carrots (peeled and cut into pea-sized cubes)

–   4 garlic cloves (minced)

–   2½ teaspoons curry powder

–   1 teaspoon soy sauce

–   ¾ cup frozen peas (rinsed to thaw and drained)

–   oil

–   salt

–   ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the rice in a rice cooker. Once the rice is cooked, let it cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours. If you can, cook the rice the night before, and let the rice cool in the fridge overnight.
2. In a wok or large pan over medium heat, warm up 1½ tablespoon oil. Add the eggs and scramble until cooked. Separate the eggs into pea-size bits with a spatula. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. If the wok or pan has eggs stuck on, clean and rinse it.
3. In the same wok or pan over medium high heat, add 1 teaspoon oil. Add the Spam dices and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 3 – 4 minutes. Transfer the Spam to a plate lined with paper towels.
4. Turn down the heat to medium. Remove some of the fat by saving 1 tablespoon in the wok or pan. Add the onions and carrots. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are soft. Add the garlic and curry powder. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cooked rice, and stir until the rice is evenly covered. Make sure to separate the rice that has stuck together. Add the soy sauce and mix everything well. Add the eggs, peas and Spam. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to your own taste. Transfer the fried rice to serving plates or bowls. Serve immediately.

Tips:

1. I like to use low-sodium Spam. Even it is low-sodium, it is still salty.
2. Great leftover lunch!

Source: Read