Half a can of spam turns ordinary rice into something with real salt and fat. Dice it small, crisp it in the pan, and let it flavour everything. This is pantry dinner at its best.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 18 at the stove.

About 1010 calories a serving, 37 g protein, 156 g carbohydrate, 24 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Dice the spam into 1/4 inch cubes. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and cook the spam until the edges are crisp, about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Transfer to a plate.5 min
2. Chop 1 small onion into 1/4 inch dice and mince 2 cloves garlic. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and cook the onion until it softens, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.4 min
3. Add 2 cups of cooked rice, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon, and stir until the rice is heated through and starts to brown slightly, about 4 minutes. Return the spam to the pan and toss together.4 min
4. Push the rice to the sides of the pan, crack 2 eggs into the centre, and scramble them lightly with a fork until they just start to set, about 1 minute. Fold the eggs into the rice, season with salt and pepper, and serve right away.

Note Swap the eggs for a splash of soy sauce if you have it. Leftovers keep in the fridge for three days and reheat in the microwave or a hot pan. Serve with hot sauce on the side or a cold glass of juice to cut the salt.

A quarter can of spam, crisped in a hot pan and chopped through quick egg fried rice, stretches into a real dinner with pantry staples. Salty and satisfying when you have nothing else on hand.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 770 calories a serving, 26 g protein, 113 g carbohydrate, 22 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Slice the quarter can of spam lengthwise into four pieces, then cut each piece into half-inch cubes. When the oil shimmers, add the spam and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges are browned and crisp.5 min
2. Push the spam to the side of the pan and add 1 tablespoon oil to the empty space. Crack the two eggs into the pan and scramble them with a wooden spoon for two minutes, until just set, then fold them together with the spam.2 min
3. Add the minced garlic clove and cook for thirty seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Tip in the cooked rice, breaking up any clumps with the spoon, and stir constantly for three minutes until the rice is hot and coated with oil.3 min
4. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Divide between two bowls and serve at once.

Note Swap diced ham if you have it. Leftovers keep refrigerated for three days; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with a wedge of lime or hot sauce on the side, or with a simple greens salad to balance the salt.

Two slices of spam transform into a proper dinner with eggs and rice, a weeknight fried rice that empties the tin and gets you fed fast. Spam crisps in its own fat while rice cooks, then egg binds it all together.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 490 calories a serving, 15 g protein, 74 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large skillet over high heat, add 1 cup of rice and a pinch of salt, then lower heat to low and cover. Cook for 18 minutes until water is absorbed, then fluff with a fork.18 min
2. While the rice cooks, cut the two slices of spam into half-inch cubes. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a second skillet over medium-high heat and fry the spam until the edges brown and crisp, stirring often, about 5 minutes, then set aside.5 min
3. Crack 3 eggs into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and whisk well. When the rice is done, push it to the sides of the first skillet, add the eggs to the center, and stir constantly until they set into small curds, about 2 minutes.2 min
4. Fold the spam and any browned bits back into the rice with the eggs, breaking up any clumps, and taste for salt and pepper. Serve in bowls while hot.

Note Swap the rice for day-old cooked rice if you have it, which will fry better and take only five minutes total. Leftovers keep three days cold and reheat well in a skillet with a splash of oil. Serve with hot sauce or soy sauce on the side.