When you are living in a tropical country like Hawaii, the first thing that pops into your mind is probably eating fresh food. And nothing stays fresh like local dishes. If you’ve ever heard of musubi before, it’s the Hawaiian version of sandwiches. It has become so popular in Hawaii over the past few decades that it is now almost synonymous with the islands.
You might’ve heard of spam musubi which is a more popular version of musubi. I found spam is a bit salty, and prefer juicy and flavorful chicken meat for my musubi. So, we’re going to use chicken instead of spam in this recipe.
Chicken musubi has become popular in recent years, and is sometimes available in grocery stores across the US. It is usually served without sauce but maybe dipped with soy sauce or sweet chili sauce. The origin of this Japanese-Hawaiian dish is not known, most people believe that it was brought o Hawaii by Japanese immigrants.
There are many different ways to prepare chicken musubi, but the most common way is to marinate the chicken in soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and ginger. The chicken is then wrapped in a sheet of nori and sprinkled with furikake rice seasoning to give the rice a sweet and salty taste.
Chicken musubi is one of those simple but tasty that will leave you coming back for more. Let’s learn how to make chicken musubi!
Ingredients:
- Sushi nori sheet
- Short gain rice
- Chicken thighs
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- 1 tablespoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon chili paste
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- Furikake/rice seasoning
- Musubi press
- Corn starch
How to make chicken musubi?
Making teriyaki sauce for the chicken.
- In a saucepan, add soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, chili paste, and sugar.
- Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes for the ginger and garlic to blend with the sauce.
Cook the chicken and rice
- Slice the chicken into thin slices so they fit the musubi press.
- Add the chicken to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes so the chicken absorbs the sauce.
- To make sushi rice, the ideal ratio for cooking short grain rice is 1:1, meaning 1 size of water for 1 size of rice.
- This step is optional but recommended you add rice vinegar right after the rice is cooked and steaming hot. Vinegar helps in the preservation and freshness of sushi rice. It also helps make the rice sticky and contributes to the overall flavor of the musubi.
Assembling chicken musubi
- Place a nori sheet on a cutting board.
- Place musubi mold on top at ⅔ of the nori sheet.
- Add the sushi rice inside the musubi mold and spread the rice evenly.
- Sprinkle some furikake on the rice.
- Add another layer of thinly sliced chicken teriyaki.
- Cover the chicken with another layer of rice. Try to spread the rice evenly.
- Use the musubi press and press down all the layers of rice and chicken. Slowly lift the mold off of the nori sheet while holding the musubi press. You’re left with a perfect rectangular shape of rice and chicken in layers.
- Fold the nori and seal it with water.
- From here, you can either cut the musubi into bite-sized pieces or eat it whole.
Notes:
- Recommend eating musubi immediately. Otherwise, the nori wrap gets chewy, which will make the musubi harder to bite.
- When cutting musubi, make sure to sharpen your knife to get clean cuts.
FAQs
How do you eat chicken musubi? Cold or hot?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question, as people can enjoy chicken musubi either cold or hot! Some people prefer to eat chicken musubi cold and dunk it in soy sauce and wasabi, while others enjoy eating them hot and topped with a variety of sauces. So, enjoy experimenting to find your favorite way to eat chicken musubi.
Is musubi the same as sushi?
No, musubi and sushi are not the same. Musubi is a traditional Japanese snack made from rice and some type of filling, while sushi is a Japanese dish made from vinegared rice combined with other ingredients such as fish, vegetables, or even eggs.
Both musubi and sushi are popular Japanese food items, but they are quite different. Musubi is usually made with a sheet of nori (dried seaweed) wrapped around the rice, while sushi is usually rolled up in nori. Musubi usually has a single filling, such as a piece of dried fish or pickled vegetables, while sushi can have multiple fillings.
In addition, musubi is usually served at room temperature, while sushi is usually served cold. Musubi is generally eaten as a snack or light meal, while sushi is usually eaten as a main meal.
So while musubi and sushi may be similar in some ways, they are actually quite different dishes. Musubi is a traditional Japanese snack, while sushi is a popular Japanese dish.
What do you eat musubi with?
Musubi is an incredibly popular snack in Hawaii and can be enjoyed with a variety of accompaniments. While it is traditionally eaten with a fork, you can also enjoy it with your hands. What you eat your musubi with depends largely on your personal preference.
One of the most popular accompaniments for musubi is a bowl of miso soup. The soup’s richness complements the flavor of the musubi, making for a delicious and satisfying meal. A cold glass of green tea or a mug of oolong tea also goes well with musubi, adding a bit of warmth and flavor to the snack.
For a more savory accompaniment, you can enjoy musubi with a side of Japanese-style pickles. The pickles add a tart contrast to the musubi and provide a great crunchy texture. If you’re looking for something a bit more indulgent, you can even enjoy musubi with a side of mayonnaise!
No matter what your taste preferences are, there’s sure to be something that you can eat musubi with. Whether it’s a bowl of miso soup, a glass of green tea, or a side of pickles, musubi can be enjoyed with a variety of accompaniments. So go ahead and try out different combinations to find the one that’s perfect for you!
Can you eat musubi the next day?
The answer to the question of whether you can eat musubi the next day is that it depends. Musubi is a type of Japanese rice ball that is usually seasoned with some kind of flavorings like soy sauce, sugar, or furikake. It is a popular snack food in Japan and is often eaten as a part of bento boxes.
If you have leftover musubi, it can be eaten the next day, but it is important to store it properly in an airtight container. If you don’t store it properly, the rice will become hard and dry, and it won’t taste as good. The best way to store musubi is by wrapping it in plastic wrap or wax paper and then putting it in a container. This will help keep the moisture in and help keep it fresh.
However, it’s important to note that musubi can spoil quickly if it is not handled properly. If the musubi has been sitting in the refrigerator for more than a day, it is best to throw it out as it may have bacteria on it.
Overall, you can eat musubi the next day, but it is important to store it properly and make sure it is still fresh. If you’re not sure, it’s best to throw it out and play it safe.
Chicken Musubi
Ingredients
- sushi nori sheets
- short grain rice
- chicken thighs
- 1/4 Cup soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon garlic
- 1 Tablespoon ginger
- 1 Teaspoon chili paste
- 1 Teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 Teaspoon rice vinegar
- 4 Tablespoons brown sugar
- furikake or rice seasoning
- musubi press
- corn starch (optional)
Instructions
Making teriyaki sauce for the chicken
- In a saucepan, add soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, chili paste, and sugar.
- Bring to boil and cook in medium heat for 5 minutes for the ginger and garlic to blend with the sauce.
Cook the chicken and rice
- Slice the chicken in thin slices so they fit the musubi press.
- Add the chicken in the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes so the chicken absorbs the sauce.
- To make the sushi rice, the ideal ratio for cooking short grain is 1:1, meaning 1 size of water for 1 size of rice.
- This step is OPTIONAL, but recommend you adding rice vinegar right after the rice is cooked and is steaming hot. The vinegar helps the preservation and freshness of the sushi rice. It helps make the rice sticky and contributes to the overall flavor of the musubi.
Assembling chicken musubi
- Place a nori sheet on a cutting board.
- Place musubi mold on top at 2/3 of the nori sheet.
- Add the sushi rice inside the musubi mold and spread the rice evenly.
- Sprinkle some furikake on the rice.
- Add another layer of thinly sliced chicken teriyaki.
- Cover the chicken with another layer of rice. Try to spread the rice evenly.
- Use the musubi press and press down all the layers of rice and chicken. Slowly life the mold off of the nori sheet while holding the musubi press. You’re left with a perfectly rectangle shape of rice and chicken in layers.
- Fold the nori and seal it with water.
- From here, you can either cut the musubi in bite-sized pieces or eat it whole.
Notes
- Recommend eating the musubi immediately. Otherwise, the nori wraps get chewy, which will makes the musubi harder to bite.
- When cutting musubi, make sure to sharpen you knife to get clean cuts.
