Sriracha and SPAM Fried Rice

By
Caroline Russock
Caroline Russock is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Caroline Russock
Caroline Russock is a writer who splits her time between Philadelphia and the Caribbean covering food, travel, leisure, lifestyle, and culture.  Her writing is featured in PhillyVoice, Eater, Eater Philly, Serious Eats, and The Tasting Table. 
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Updated August 09, 2018
Siracha and spam fried rice
Caroline Russock

Having never purchased a can of SPAM before, I thought this Sriracha and SPAM Fried Rice from The Sriracha Cookbook was an eye opener. The first order of business was to find the stuff (no, they don't carry it at Whole Foods, don't bother asking). Once I got my hands on a can, it was time to pull the tab and extract the meat rectangle from its navy blue metallic home. It slid out in a solid, albeit a little wobbly, shape and smelled eerily similar to cat food. But I was undeterred—my limited experience with SPAM in the past has been nothing but delicious and I had high hopes for this spicy fried rice.

Any unpleasantness disappeared when the SPAM cubes were sautéed with toasted sesame oil along with kernels of sweet corn and day-old rice. Eggs are quickly incorporated into the rice as well as a mix of Sriracha and soy sauce that coats everything with a blast of salt and spice. With a handful of scallions thrown on top, this is the kind of dish that lives somewhere in between late night drunk food and wake-me-up hangover breakfast. Belly filling, warm but not too hot, carby, meaty, and entirely satisfying—in a word, awesome.

Adapted from The Sriracha Cookbook. Copyright © 2010. Published by Ten Speed Press. Available wherever books are sold. All Rights Reserved.

Recipe Details

Sriracha and SPAM Fried Rice

Cook 15 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 6 to 8 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Sriracha, plus more for garnish

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil or peanut oil

  • 1 (12-ounce) container SPAM, diced

  • 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

  • 4 cups cooked white rice, cooled (preferably day-old)

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • Sliced green onions, green part only, for garnish 

Directions

  1. In a small bowl whisk together Sriracha and soy sauce. Reserve.

  2. Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet or wok over very high heat until it is rocket hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the skillet and let it heat up until it begins to shimmer and wrinkle, 10 to 15 seconds. Toss in SPAM and corn and cook until the meat begins to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add an additional tablespoon of oil to the pan, and heat for 10 seconds. Add rice, stirring to coat each grain with oil. Stir-fry for 3 minutes.

  3. Move rice mixture toward the outer edges of the pan, creating a "well" in the center. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to the center of the pan, and heat until it shimmers, 10 to 15 seconds. Add eggs and garlic, stirring feverishly. Cook until eggs are cooked through, then drizzle the Sriracha/ soy mixture over the rice. Toss everything together to combine, cooking for an additional 30 seconds or so.

  4. Mound rice into bowls, garnish with Sriracha and green onions, and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
320Calories
18gFat
29gCarbs
10gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories320
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g23%
Saturated Fat 5g27%
Cholesterol 76mg25%
Sodium 1147mg50%
Total Carbohydrate 29g10%
Dietary Fiber 1g3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 4mg18%
Calcium 21mg2%
Iron 2mg10%
Potassium 301mg6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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