Chicken Musubi is a Japanese dish consisting of steamed white rice with cooked Japanese-style fried chicken on top.
It can be served as an appetizer at Hawaiian luaus or as a main dish, along with both sweet and savory sauces to choose from.
Chicken Musubi was first introduced as an appetizer to the Hawaiian community in Japan. The primary ingredient of Chicken Musubi is rice, and a preference for a particular type of rice can determine what sauce is used and if the kalua pig is included in the dish.
How To Make Chicken Musubi?
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rice and white short-grain rice will do
- 1 finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 cups short or soy sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons mirin
Directions
Step 1: Rinse chopped chicken and chop it into smaller pieces. Add water to the pan and bring to a boil. Add the chicken pieces bring to a boil, and cover for five minutes. The chicken is done when the water is completely evaporated. Drain the water and set it aside in a separate bowl.
Step 2: Rinse rice, soak in cold water for five minutes and drain. If using Jasmine Rice, rinse and wash in cold water for one minute, then drain the rice. This removes any extra starch because it will make the musubi sticky.
Step 3: Combine chopped chicken with chopped onions, ginger powder, shoyu or soy sauce, sugar, and pepper in a large mixing bowl and mix until everything is covered evenly with the mixture.
Step 4: Create attachments for your musubi press by wrapping cellophane paper with the vine and the string.
Step 5: Pour sesame oil and mirin into a small bowl and mix.
Step 6: Take out the rice from the musubi maker, add 2 tablespoons of shoyu in it, mix with your fingers until all of the rice is completely covered evenly. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and blend again with your fingers until thoroughly mixed.
Place the musubi on the vine and mold it into a circle.
Step 7: Take a ball of the musubi mixture and put it in your palm; rub the balls to make it all uniformly sticky and moist. Put this ball on top of the circle, wrap it with cellophane paper, and add the string to hold everything together.
Step 8: Repeat Steps 5 through 8 until all ingredients are used up.
Step 9: Steam musubi in a pot filled with water heated to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Steam the musubi for 20 minutes or until it is firm but not hard.
Step 10: Serve with sweet and savory sauces
Nutrition Fact
| Nutrition | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 256 |
| Protein | 7gms |
| Carbohydrates | 53gms |
| Fat | 4.9gms |
| Fiber | 0gms |
| Sodium | 1501mg |
| Iron | 3.2 mg |
| Zinc | 1.4gms |
6 Attractive Health Benefits of Chicken Musubi
1. Aids In Muscle Development And Strength
Chicken Musubi is a slice of lean meat that provides lean muscle-building proteins throughout the day.
2. Improves Bone Health And Bone Density
Chicken Musubi is an excellent source of calcium and magnesium, which are essential in maintaining bone structure and density, thus reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
3. Helps To Improve Gastrointestinal Function
Chicken Musubi is a rich source of selenium and zinc, which are essential for the gastrointestinal system’s health. The body also needs zinc for making and maintaining smooth skin.
4. Promotes Cardiovascular Health And Heart Health
Chicken Musubi is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, protecting against cardiovascular diseases, thus protecting you from stroke or heart attack.
5. Reduces The Risk Of Diabetes
Chicken Musubi is rich in potassium, which plays a vital role in regulating the amount of sugar and the rate at which your body breaks down carbohydrates and starches, thus reducing or preventing the occurrence of possible symptoms associated with diabetes.
6. Helps To Maintain A Healthy Immune System
Chicken Musubi is a good source of vitamins and minerals needed by the body to function well, thus preventing any illness.
What Is Musubi Sauce Made Of?
The most common sauce used with musubi is shoyu or soy sauce. It is a by-product of soybean fermentation using Aspergillus oryzae, commonly called shoyu koji mold. It is made by allowing this mold to grow on boiled soybeans and then into a paste (miso) by mashing the fermented beans with salt and water. The paste is then heated and filtered numerous times to produce the translucent, dark brown liquid called soy sauce.
What Is The Difference Between Musubi And Onigiri?
Musubi is a version of the traditional Japanese onigiri, which translates to “fist” in English. It is a small, ball-shaped food made from cooked Japanese rice and shaped to fit inside the palm.
Musubi may be wrapped with nori or inarizushi. It contrasts with other Japanese dishes such as sushi and sashimi, which are made from raw fish and are not covered in any manner.
Is Musubi Served Hot Or Cold?
Musubi is served at room or refrigerator temperature. It is usually made fresh the same day served with its matching saucer.
The rice ball is wrapped in vine or cellophane, placed in a container with the sauce inside, and then wrapped in nori or plastic food packaging to prevent leaks while still keeping flavors consistent.
How Can Store It?
Musubi should be eaten immediately with its sauce. It will not be as crispy once kept for a while. If you plan to store it, place it in the refrigerator without the sauce and eat it within 24 hours.
Once you take out the musubi from the fridge, leave it for about 30 minutes so that it comes close to room temperature before serving or eating.
Have Any Side Effects Of Chicken Musubi
White rice is rich in vitamins, especially niacin or vitamin B. It also has a moderate level of protein. However, if you are limiting your carbohydrates and sugars in your diet, consuming white rice can be detrimental to your progress.
Aside from this, white rice may not be the best choice for people with diabetes since it is high in carbs, and glucose levels may rise rapidly after eating it.
Bottom Line
Musubi is sweet and fantastic food. It is healthy, easy to make, and very delicious. It also has several health benefits that should be considered before eating them regularly.
Musubi is delicious Japanese food that can safely be kept in a refrigerator or freezer. You may cook musubi and then keep it inside the fridge until you can cook it.
You can also prepare it in advance and only heat it when ready to serve.
