Spicy Kani Salad Recipe (Crab and Cucumber) (2024)

FAQs

What is spicy kani salad made of? ›

Spicy kani salad is one of those rare recipes that is packed with flavor, but surprisingly so. It has only a few ingredients – imitation crab, a dressing (made from mayonnaise, sriracha, and a bit of mirin or rice vinegar), and cucumber.

Imitation crab meat, also known as surimi, is typically precooked during the manufacturing process. As a result, it can be consumed without further cooking, although it is often reheated or served cold in various dishes. Some common dishes that use imitation crab meat include crab cakes, salads, dips, and sushi rolls.

In Japan, imitation crab meat is referred to as kanikama. In the U.S., it is often referred to simply as kani. Imitation crab is a key ingredient in California sushi rolls, along with avocado and cucumber, and is used as a crab substitute in Japanese cuisine.

It's a highly processed food containing minced fillet, egg whites, salt, sugar, and other additives to make it look like real crab meat. It's more affordable, but less nutritious, than fresh crab meat. The decision is yours to make as to which you'll buy for dinner.

Can you eat imitation crab raw? Yes. It is pre-cooked, so you are able to eat it straight from the package. Many people use it as part of a larger recipe though, adding it to cream of crab soup, crab Rangoon or crab salad.

Take the crab sticks out of the plastic film. Pressing down on the side of the knife blade, slide it over the crab stick in one direction. If you do this on the top, side and bottom of the stick in the same way, it will shred apart easily.

Crab is packed with protein, which is important for building and maintaining muscle. Crab also contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and selenium. These nutrients play vital roles in improving general health while helping prevent a variety of chronic conditions.

Since imitation crab is precooked, you can use it straight from the package for cold dishes, such as dips and salad, or add it to dishes you heat.

Shellfish like scallops (. 003), crab (. 065), and shrimp (. 009) are all relatively low in mercury.

The only ingredient you won't find in imitation crab meat? Crab! You can look at imitation crab the same way you look at a hot dog.

What kind of fish is imitation crab made of? ›

What Is Imitation Crab? The key to that flavor is surimi, a seafood paste made from white fish, artificial and natural flavors, starch, sugar, and sodium. And the preferred white fish in this amalgam is Alaskan Pollock—the same variety most commonly utilized in frozen fish sticks and fast-food seafood sandwiches.

The most obvious sign that imitation crab has gone bad is a fishy smell, so toss it out if the odor is strong. Whenever leftovers look slimy or taste sour you can bet the imitation crab is past its prime and needs to go in the garbage, even if you haven't reached the sell-by date that's on the package.

Health concerns.

According to some test-tube and animal studies, exposure to carrageenan can lead to inflammation, intestinal damage, and even an increased risk of cancer. Similarly, scientists have found that the phosphate additives in imitation crabs can cause damage to the kidneys, as well as the blood vessels.

If you have a leftover opened package of imitation crab meat, store it in a refrigerator set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). When it's properly stored in the fridge, it should be eaten within three days just like other varieties of fish, per the USDA.

If you purchase kanikama (or kani), you'll likely see it in the form of a crab stick or rounds. While it does not contain crab meat, the process of creating this seafood ingredient produces a delicious crab flavor and crab-like texture.

Spicy Kani Roll is a popular Japanese sushi roll that is creamy, yet spicy. It features shredded kani crab sticks tossed in a spicy Kewpie mayo sauce, then rolled in seasoned sushi rice, nori, and your choice of sesame seeds or tobiko.

Is Kani Salad Healthy? Yes, this salad is healthy — especially this one, with no added sugar. Wondering about kani salad calories? Each serving has 169 calories.

In Thai cooking, the nation's spicy salad is called som tam, or sometimes som tum. It is derived from Laos to the north of Thailand from a dish called tam mak hoong or the Cambodian version is known as bok l'hong.