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Vegetables Lunch / Dinner Salads

Kani salad

Published: 05.09.2012 » Last updated: 06.19.2022

Make kani salad with kanikama (imitation crab meat), cucumber, carrot, fresh ripe mangoes, lettuce, Japanese mayonnaise and a little sesame seed oil. It’s outstanding!

Kani salad

But you know what the curious part is? Authentic traditional Japanese kani salad is a far simpler dish. All-in kani salads, like mine, are more fusion than anything else. And “all-in” means there’s more than just kani in the salad.

Sliced and julienned carrot for kani salad

There’s carrot which we cut into matchsticks. To make the sticks really, really thin, we slice the carrot using a mandoline, stack the slices then cut them as thinly as we can manage.

Cucumber and mango for kani salad

Cucumber is also cut in the same way. Sliced on a mandoline then cut into matchsticks by hand. Ripe mango is cut open, the stone discarded, then each “cheek” is scored then scooped out shallowly to create thin strips that mimic the size and shape of the carrot and cucumber matchsticks.

Shredding crab sticks for kani salad

It’s kani salad so, of course, there’s kani. Kani is bought frozen so we thaw it first and peel off the plastic wrapper. When the crab stick is pressed, it is easier to pull it apart into shreds.

Kani salad with lettuce

Lettuce is optional but we like to add it to kani salad for textural contrast and for color.

All the ingredients are tossed together with Japanese mayo and a little sesame seed oil. And it’s ready to serve. As a side dish or as a snack.

Kani salad

Kani salad

Connie Veneracion
Use the best quality crab sticks, the freshest vegetables and ripe (never overripe) sweet mangoes for the best kani salad. And Japanese mayo is a must. Regular mayo just doesn't have the umami flavor of its Japanese sibling that sets it above the rest.
Kani salad
Print Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 0 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Course Salad
Cuisine Asian Fusion
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 100 to 150 grams kani (imitation crab sticks)
  • 1 medium carrot - peeled
  • 2 medium cucumbers - or 1 large; peeled or unpeeled and seeds scooped out
  • 1 bunch lettuce - varieties that can retain their shape like iceberg and romaine are recommended
  • 1 drizzle sesame seed oil
  • ¼ cup Japanese mayonnaise

Instructions
 

  • Remove the plastic film wrapper of the kani and discard.
  • Press each kani from tip to tip between your fingers. Pull apart to shred.
  • Thinly slice carrot, and julienne (cut into matchsticks).
  • Do the same with the cucumber
  • Cut the mango; discard the stone.
  • Slash diagonally, the slashes about a quarter inch apart, all the way but without cutting through the skin.
  • Using a spoon, scoop out shallowly to come up with thin strips.
  • Rinse the lettuce and dry in a salad spinner. Cut the leaves horizontally into half-inch slices.
  • Place the shredded kani, julienned carrot and cucumber, sliced mango and lettuce in a mixing bowl.
  • Drizzle in the sesame seed oil.
  • Toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. Use your hands to toss to avoid bruising the ingredients.
  • Add the Japanese mayo. Toss the kani salad once more to moisten everything evenly.

Notes

If the idea of serving kani salad differently appeals to you, try serving the salad as spring rolls.
Kani Salad Spring Rolls
Moisten rice paper and use it to wrap kani salad.
Print Pin Recipe
Keyword kanikama

About Connie Veneracion

A retired lawyer and journalist who spends most days (and nights) dreaming up recipes. [Read more]

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