Chicken Meets Sushi, Musubi Style

I find it kind of ironic that my 6 year old who obsesses about sharks loves anything with seaweed. He chows down California sushi rolls, toasted seaweed in a bag and Spam Musubi. I introduced him to Spam Musubi a couple of years ago when I ordered it at a local Hawaiian BBQ, trying it myself for the first time.  I believe he fell in love with Spam that day.

If you've never heard of Spam Musubi, it a delicious double deck of cards sized snack originating from Hawaii, with 2 layers of sweet sushi rice and a sweet and salty oyster sauce covered filling of Spam in the middle, all wrapped up in toasty nori-seaweed.  It's delicious.

Well this was before my son was diagnosed with autism and ADHD and we realized every time he eats a hot dog or processed meat product packed with nitrates, he gets hyper as heck. So I've been making it my mission to take my boy's favorite foods and turn them into nurturing autism friendly culinary delights. 

And then I remembered he loves teriyaki chicken!

Chicken Musubi

Sushi Rice

2 cups calrose rice, rinsed and drained

3 1/2 cups water

2 Tb rice vinegar

1 tsp sugar

Chicken Musubi Filling

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup oyster sauce

1/4 cup sugar

6 sheets toasted nori seaweed

Sesame oil

Directions:

Put rinsed and drained rice and water in rice cooker or pot to cook and steam until done, about 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile slice the chicken breast horizontally into thin rectangular strips. 

Tip: do this while the chicken is partially frozen. 

Whisk together low sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar and pour over chicken slices in a bowl.  Marinate for 10 minutes. 

Preheat large skillet with 1Tb sesame oil. 

Add chicken, leaving marinade in bowl. 

Cover and cook through about 8 minutes. Remove cover.  Flip chicken over, add remaining marinade and cook uncovered about 3 minutes more until cooked through and sauce is bubbly.  Remove from heat. 

Remove 6 sheets nori and cut in half in direction of perforation. 

When rice is done, flip out onto large cookie sheet, spread evenly with spatula, sprinkle with sugar and rice vinegar and gently incorporate throughout. 

This stuff is sticky but delicious. If any falls on the floor it will haunt you all day.  I should know-my kids like to eat sticky rice leaning over the floor.  Gah!

Time to assemble!

Left to right, using Musubi press or wet hands, add 2 heaping Tb sushi rice to bottom layer over nori sheet half. Keep a small bowl of water nearby to wet press so rice doesn't stick. Add slice of cooked chicken over first rice layer and brush with marinade from pan. Add 2 more heaping Tb sushi rice. Press mold all the way through. Wrap Musubi by folding over nori and seal by moistening edge of nori with water. Slice in half to serve. 

Makes 12 Chicken Musubis or 6 servings. 

This is a kid tested recipe that all my boys loved-even the boy next door!  My 6 year old didn't even miss his spam. He said it tasted the same. 

And there you have it, nitrate free meat but all the goodness of chicken and Musubi.