Glazed Korean Rice Cake Skewers with Spam

In a medium bowl, whisk the dashi with 1/4 cup of water until dissolved. Whisk in the gochujang, honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the rice cakes until al dente, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well and rinse under cold water. In a large bowl, toss the rice cakes with the Spam, quartered shallots, the zucchini, bell pepper and canola oil and season with salt. Alternately thread the rice cakes, Spam and vegetables onto eight 14-inch-long metal skewers.

Light a grill. Grill the skewers over moderately high heat, turning once, until the rice cakes are lightly browned and the 
vegetables are softened slightly, about 8 minutes. Baste with the gochujang sauce and grill, basting frequently, until glazed and charred, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the skewers to a work surface and brush with more gochujang sauce. Arrange on a platter and garnish with sesame seeds, cilantro and peanuts. Serve warm, passing 
any remaining sauce at the table.

Instant dashi, gochujang and Korean rice cakes are available at Asian markets and from amazon.com.