By 
This recipe is mostly inspired by my good friend Herb (@thesocialpause on IG), who made me his version of a breakfast garlic fried rice with thick cut bacon one morning which was so delicious I took some home and immediately ate it again upon arrival of my own apartment just an hour or so later…
The main difference here, is of course I’m using spam instead of bacon. If you think spam is gross.. but you’ve never tried it before.. then please give spam a chance (sung in my head to the tune of “give peace a chance”). If you’re from New Jersey and have ever had taylor ham (or pork roll) it’s very similar to that, but dare I say better because it has a softer texture. If you’re a fan already of spam then this recipe is totally for you then!
Now traditionally, when you make fried rice you would make a hole in the center of your rice and crack the eggs into the center (or add the beaten eggs) and cook them that way and slowly incorporate them into the rice. However, I love how Herb made his eggs separate and incorporated them at the end and kept these nice pieces of egg throughout!
I do love to add some ketchup at the end–but that’s a total personal preference. I recommend giving it a try if you’re a condiment/ketchup person!
Ingredients
SPAM marinade
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or shoyu
- 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 12 oz can SPAM or low sodium SPAM
Other
- 4 eggs beaten
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 8-10 cloves garlic sliced thin or chopped (your preference!)
- 4 cups cooked white rice made a day ahead, preferably
Toppings (optional)
- 3-4 stalks scallion sliced thin, for topping
- 1 clove garlic, sliced thin and fried in canola oil
- ketchup for topping
Instructions
SPAM fried rice
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Add beaten eggs to a wok or large non-stick pan on medium-low heat. Using a wooden spoon, gently push the outer eggs into the center. Repeat this process until eggs are fully scrambled, making sure not to break them up into too small of pieces. Set aside.
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Cut spam into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat a non-stick pan on medium high heat and add in spam. Cook until lightly browned on the sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Add in soy sauce, sesame oil and hoisin sauce, stirring until the spam is well coated. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
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Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to your wok/pan. Add in chopped/sliced garlic and stir until fragrant (about 30 seconds to 1 minute). Lower the heat and add in cooked rice and stir until garlic is well distributed.
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Add back in the SPAM and the scrambled egg and gently fold to mix everything together.
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Remove from heat, add your toppings and enjoy!
Garlic chips (optional topping)
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Add some more sesame oil to the pan--enough to fully coat the bottom of your pan. Once hot, add the sliced garlic. Once it begins to brown remove and place on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Add to the top of your rice!
What do you think?