Pork Tamago Musubi (ポーク卵むすび, Okinawan rice sandwich)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Rice cooker or heavy covered pot
• •Musubi mold, or a clean empty luncheon-meat can lined with plastic wrap
• •Tamagoyaki pan, or a small nonstick skillet

Instructions

1. 1

   Wash the rice

   Put the rice in a bowl, cover it with water, and stir with your fingers. Pour off the cloudy water and repeat until it runs almost clear, then drain well. This washing clears loose surface starch, so the cooked rice tastes clean and holds in grains instead of turning pasty. Soak the drained rice in its measured water for twenty minutes, then cook it in a rice cooker or covered pot. Let it rest ten minutes after cooking, lid closed, so the moisture settles evenly.

2. 2

   Cook the egg

   Beat the eggs with the dashi or water, sugar, and salt until the whites are broken, but don't whip them foamy. Foam makes holes, and this dish wants a flat, tender panel that cuts cleanly. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a tamagoyaki pan or small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, pour in the egg, and cook gently until the surface is just set and still glossy. Slide it out and cut it into four rectangles about the size of the pork slices.

   Dashi gives the egg a rounder taste if you have it. Water is a sensible stand-in here because tenderness, not stock, is the main work.
3. 3

   Brown the pork

   Pat the pork slices dry. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry the pork until the edges brown and the surface takes on a light lacquered shine, about 2 minutes per side. Drying the slices first matters: water makes them steam in the pan, while a dry surface browns. If using shōyu, brush on only a few drops after browning. It should season the surface, not become a sauce.

4. 4

   Shape the rice

   Set one sheet of nori shiny-side down on the work surface, with a point facing you like a diamond. Place a musubi mold in the center, or use the clean empty luncheon-meat can lined with plastic wrap as the stand-in. Spoon in about 3/4 cup warm rice and press it into an even block. Press enough that it holds, not so hard that the grains crush. Rice remembers rough treatment, usually by becoming dull and sulky.

   The mold gives the rice the same footprint as the pork and egg. That shape is the detail that decides the first bite.
5. 5

   Layer and fold

   Lift away the mold. Set one egg rectangle on the rice, then one browned pork slice on top, aligning the edges as neatly as you can. Fold the left and right corners of the nori over the stack, then fold the top and bottom corners over like a small parcel. Use a grain or two of warm rice to seal the final flap if needed. Turn it seam-side down and let it rest for 2 minutes, which gives the nori time to soften and grip the rice.

6. 6

   Cut and serve

   Repeat with the remaining rice, egg, pork, and nori. Cut each musubi in half with a sharp knife wiped damp between cuts. The damp blade passes through the rice instead of dragging it, and the layers show themselves cleanly. Serve warm or at room temperature. For a picnic, cool the musubi completely before wrapping, keep them shaded or chilled, and don't leave egg and pork sitting in hot weather.

Chef Tips

• •Use Japanese short-grain rice. Long-grain rice scatters, and glutinous rice chews too heavily for this. The right rice makes the musubi hold without paste or tricks.
• •Choose a pork luncheon meat you actually like. In Okinawa you'll see brands such as Tulip and Spam, and the choice is not decoration. The pork is one of the main flavors, so nothing is hidden.
• •A musubi mold is useful, but the clean empty luncheon-meat can lined with plastic wrap works well. It gives you the same footprint as the pork, which is exactly what you need.
• •The plain version is rice, egg, pork, and nori. A thin smear of andānsū, Okinawan pork miso, is a common addition, but keep it thin. The stack should taste clear, not sauced into confusion.
• •For packing, let the musubi cool before wrapping so condensation doesn't make the nori leathery. Keep them cool for travel and eat them the same day.

Advance Preparation

• •Cook the rice shortly before assembling if you can. Warm rice shapes best and grips the nori properly.
• •The egg panel and pork slices can be cooked a few hours ahead, cooled, and refrigerated. Bring them close to room temperature before assembling so they don't chill the rice hard.
• •Assemble the musubi the day you plan to eat them. The nori softens as it sits, which is pleasant for a short rest but dull after long storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 275g)