Succinctly put, Hawai'i loves
Spam, and after an initial phase of incredulity, so do I. While some may scoff at this potted meat product, life without it is incomplete, and with it, an abode of bliss. Furthermore, as a Minnesotan dwelling on O'ahu, I'm pleased to see such appreciation for what is my home state's best answer to the quandary of what to do with miscellaneous processed pig parts. However, Spam must be prepared correctly in order to bring out its finest attributes; to wit, it must be fried, then paired with complementary ingredients which bring out its best attributes. Pineapple is a good choice. Rice and seaweed are equally respectable (and for those who have yet to experience the majesty of musubi, this
random video tutorial set to soothing reggae will help to invest significance your currently meaningless existence). Eggs and okra, however, are the subject of today's recipe post, and rival the divinity of either of the above combinations.
From my perspective, the recipe provided below makes two servings, but I would imagine that the average American with an average appetite would consider this a single serving — especially if no other dishes appeared alongside it on the breakfast table, save for, say, perhaps a piece of toast. I'll also say that substituting dried, shredded nori for the kale (a variation I have tried... and repeated) yields an equally fine repast.
- 1 cm thick slab of Hormel's finest (yes, that would be the Spam), diced
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. plain soy milk
- ⅛ tsp. salt (or to taste)
- 2 large okra pods cut into thin, cross-sectional slices
- ¼ cup fresh baby kale, cut into small pieces with stems removed
- 2 medium-sized "baby bella" mushrooms, diced
- 3 pinches coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 pinches dry basil
- half of a small thai chili pepper, diced
- 6 drops Cholulu brand hot sauce
Fry the Spam, mushrooms, and okra in a small frying pan in a small amount of canola oil (or other vegetable oil) on medium heat. Break the eggs into a small bowl, add the soy milk, and beat for a few seconds with a fork or wire whisk until the yolks have broken and are thoroughly mixed with the whites and the soy milk. After five minutes, or when the Spam and okra have browned, add the chili pepper. After another minute or two, pour the egg mixture in and scramble the eggs into the Spam, mushrooms, and okra. Add the pepper, salt, and hot sauce and continue to scramble until the eggs are cooked. At the last minute, add the kale and the basil and stir until the kale begins to soften, then remove from heat while continuing to stir for a minute or so more. Serve immediately.
