Pork Tamago Onigirazu
ポークたまごおにぎり·(pōku tamago onigirazu)
The American Uchinanchu Pantry: Foundations
If you grew up in a first-generation home, you know the smell of fried luncheon meat on a Sunday morning. But in Okinawa, it isn't a pantry backup, it is the foundation of the island's ultimate soul food. They don't press this into perfect little blocks like they do in Hawaii; they fold it. The brilliance is in the contrast, crisping the meat in its own rendered fat, keeping the egg wildly fluffy with a dab of Japanese mayo, and smearing the inside with Andansu, a sweet, ginger-laced pork miso paste that tastes exactly like home. This is how an Okinawan grandmother makes it when she is rushing to get the kids out the door, and it demands your respect.
Before you start
Make the Grandmother's Andansu.
Heat a small pan over medium, add the ground pork, and cook until the fat renders. Stir in the sake, brown sugar, miso, and ginger, cooking for a few minutes until it thickens into a glossy, dark paste, then transfer to a jar to cool.
Ingredients
- Japanese short-grain white rice1 cup
- Yaki-Nori1 large
- Tulip luncheon meat or 25% Less Sodium Spam2 slices
- eggs2 large
- Kewpie mayonnaise1 tsp
- salt1 pinch
- neutral cooking oil1 tsp
- ground pork1/4 cup
- white or awase miso2 tbsp
- brown sugar2 tbsp
- sake or awamori1 tbsp
- fresh ginger1 tsp
Method
- 01
Crisp the pork in a dry skillet.
Place the luncheon meat in a non-stick pan over medium heat with no oil, letting it fry in its own rendered fat for two to three minutes per side until deeply caramelized, then set aside on a paper towel.
- 02
Whisk and fold the egg.
Aggressively beat the eggs with the mayonnaise and salt until perfectly smooth, then pour into the oiled skillet over medium-low heat. As the bottom sets, fold the sides inward to form a thick square patty that roughly matches the size of your meat, then cut it in half.
- 03
Assemble the rice and nori base.
Lay a square of plastic wrap on your cutting board and place one half-sheet of nori flat on top, shiny side down. With slightly wet fingers, spread a thin, even layer of warm rice over the left half of the nori, leaving a tiny border.
- 04
Layer the fillings and fold.
Place the egg patty on the rice, spread a teaspoon of the Andansu over the egg, and top with the hot, crispy pork slice. Fold the empty right half of the nori tightly over the top like closing a book.
- 05
Wrap tightly and let rest.
Immediately pull the plastic wrap tightly around the whole square to seal it in the residual heat. Let it rest for three to five minutes so the steam softens and fuses the nori, then slice in half crosswise directly through the plastic wrap for a clean cut.
Notes
Keep it authentic with the right canned meat.
While Spam is universally known in America, Okinawan locals overwhelmingly prefer the Danish brand Tulip for its milder salt profile. If you must use Spam, buy the 25% Less Sodium version so the sandwich doesn't become aggressively salty.
The Tsunamayo variation.
For an immensely popular modern twist found in local convenience stores, mix a thoroughly drained can of tuna with a tablespoon of Kewpie mayonnaise and spread it between the egg and the pork.
From Cook Okinawan in America.