I’ve written a full Spam Musubi recipe which you can find on my site, so I won’t repeat the full method here. This short piece explains how to make the ube rice that pairs beautifully with Spam musubi.

Below are photos showing the finished ube rice and how it looks when assembled into musubi.

To flavor the rice, use ube extract sparingly so the color and aroma are balanced. A good guideline is 1/8 teaspoon of ube extract per 1 cup of uncooked rice. For the video demonstration I cooked 2 cups of rice on the stove and used 1/4 teaspoon of ube extract.

Instructions (concise):

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then drain.
Combine the rinsed rice and the appropriate amount of water for your rice variety in a pot or rice cooker.
Add the ube extract—1/8 teaspoon per cup of uncooked rice—and stir gently to distribute color evenly.
Cook the rice according to your usual method. If using a pot, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low until the water is absorbed. Let rest covered for 10 minutes off heat.
Fluff the rice with a rice paddle or fork. Taste and adjust—if you want a stronger ube flavor or deeper color, add a tiny additional amount of extract, a pinch at a time.

Notes and tips:

Ube extract is concentrated—start with the recommended amount to avoid an overpowering flavor or unnatural color.
If you prefer a milder color, reduce the extract slightly. For a more vivid hue, increase in very small increments.
For sushi-style musubi, use slightly sticky short-grain rice to help the musubi hold together.
Let cooked rice cool just enough to handle when forming musubi so it remains pliable but not steaming hot.

With the ube rice ready, proceed with your usual Spam musubi assembly: slice and pan-fry the Spam, layer rice and Spam using a musubi mold or by hand, and wrap with nori if desired. Enjoy the vibrant color and subtle ube flavor that elevates this classic snack.