Kani Salad (Japanese Crab Salad)

A quick and easy 10 minute Japanese kani salad recipe made with shredded crab sticks, cucumbers, and a creamy sesame mayonnaise dressing.

📝 Ingredients

• 14 oz imitation crab sticks ((approx. 2 cups or 12 sticks. shredded into thin strips))
• 1/2 cucumber ((approx 1 cup.))
• 1 stalk green onion
• 3 tablespoons Japanese fish roe/eggs ((Optional))
• 7 tablespoons Japanese Kewpie Mayonnaise ((or regular mayonnaise))
• 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons honey ((or maple syrup, or sugar))
• 2 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha chili sauce ((Optional - To make it a spicy kani salad, highly recommended))

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1If your crab sticks are frozen, defrost them in the fridge for a few hours until they are pliable before using them.
2. 2Toast the sesame seeds it in a dry pan for 1-2 minutes. Make sure you watch it carefully and keep moving the sesame seeds so it doesn't burn. Set it aside and let it cool
3. 3If your crab sticks come individually wrapped, remove the plastic wrap and hand shred the crab into thin slices. If you are using imitation crab chunks, use a knife and roughly chop them into big chunks. Place it into a large mixing bowl.
4. 4Finely slice the green onions and place them into the bowl with the crab.
5. 5(Optional) If you are using Japanese fish roe/eggs, add them into the bowl with the crab meat.
6. 6Finely slice the cucumber into matchsticks. If you are mixing it with the crab salad, put it in the bowl with the crab. If you are placing the crab salad on top of the cucumber, set aside the cucumber.
7. 7In a small bowl, mix all the kani salad dressing ingredients together (including the toasted sesame seeds) and pour it into the bowl with the crab meat.
8. 8Mix everything together and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions
9. 9Serve it on top of the cucumber slices and enjoy!