Roger Yu of Palolo has discovered a new version of an island favorite — Spam musubi.

His recipe adds a fresh vegetable component, and generates “plate appeal.”

If you have a Spam musubi mold, you can make this. The only trick is the cutting of the slipper “straps” from a piece of carrot or other vegetable.

To do this, Roger cuts a wide slice of a carrot 3 inches long and uses kitchen scissors to shape it and cut a slit up the middle — one piece makes both “straps.” He microwaves the cut carrot for 10 seconds to make it pliable enough to push into the musubi.

The recipe is very easy, as you can buy the sushi vinegar and teriyaki glaze in almost any grocery store. Have fun!

SPAM MUSUBI SLIPPAH

By Roger Yu

• 1/2 cup warm, well-cooked medium-grain rice
• 1 teaspoon sushi vinegar
• 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
• 1 1/4-inch slice Spam
• 1 sheet maki sushi nori, cut to a 2-1/2-by 7-inch sheet
• 1 carrot

Mix rice and sushi vinegar gently. Fill bottom of musubi mold with rice mixture and push down to flatten.

Heat teriyaki sauce in a small skillet over medium-low. Add Spam and coat evenly. Place Spam into mold and press. Remove from mold and wrap in nori, wetting edge of nori to seal.

Peel carrot, then cut a slice 3 inches long slice and 1/8 inch thick. Use kitchen scissors to cut into a surfboard-shaped piece, following sketch above. Make a slit up the middle so the slice will divide into 2 “straps.” Microwave carrot 10 seconds on medium-high to soften.

Use a chopstick or a knife to poke three holes in each musubi where slipper “straps” will attach. Push carrot straps into holes to complete your musubi. Makes 1 slippah.

VARIATIONS

>> Make multitoned slippers by coloring the rice mixture using food coloring or colored furikake (such as shiso flavor) or add bling to the straps using edible glitter adhered with a little honey.

>> Add a thin layer of cooked egg or furikake between the rice and Spam.

>> Use different vegetables for the straps, such as a green or red bell peppers or long beans.

>> Cut the vegetable in an X-pattern, echoing vintage cross-strap slippers, or make a single wide strap out of a piece of daikon to create a slip-on flip-flop.

Approximate nutritional information, per musubi: 310 calories, 11 g total fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 1,500 mg sodium, 37 g ca1rbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 14 g protein.

”Easy Kine” features simple dishes that start with commercially prepared ingredients. Lynette Lo Tom is excited to hear your tried-and-true suggestions. Contact her at 275-3004, email lynette@brightlightcookery.com or via instagram at @brightlightcookery.