Kani Salad is a refreshing and tasty dish with fish sticks, mango, and Japanese Mayo. It’s a great alternative to boring old salads, perfect as a side dish or part of a larger meal.
Mango kani salad is absolutely delicious.
In this recipe for kani salad fantastic textures and flavours are all mixed for an incredibly juicy dish that’s always amazing!
I love it as a side dish, a little like coleslaw. It adds a fruity, fishy flavour to your meal that just works really well.
It’s a brilliant addition to a summer picnic or simple lunch at home and a big feature of my summer diet.
What is a Kani Salad?
If you aren’t a big fan of Japanese food or sushi, you might not have heard of this delicious dish.
I like to think of Kani Salad as a fishy, fruity coleslaw. This might sound ridiculous, but it works, I promise. It’s basically shredded seafood sticks with thin strips of mango, carrot, and cucumber in a Japanese mayo dressing.
What is Kani?
Kani means crab in Japanese. Despite this, Kani Salad Recipes are made with imitation crab meat, not real crab.
Crab Sticks are made from surimi, which is a paste made from white fish, usually with a high amount of pollock. It’s then shaped and coloured to look like a crab. Surimi is actually used in a lot of the seafood that we eat.
It all sounds a bit gross, but it tastes incredible. I love seafood sticks. They are cheap, healthy, and a great way to add flavour to simple dishes like this.
Are Seafood Sticks the Same as Crab Sticks?
Yes, seafood sticks are the same as crab sticks.
In other countries, they are called crab sticks. But in England, the absence of real crab means that we generally call them seafood sticks, fish sticks or crab-flavoured sticks.
Why I Love Kani Salad
- Japanese kani salad is really different, and I like different.
- Japanese crab salad, made from shredded crab sticks, has such a cool texture that it’s almost like eating noodles. This simple kani salad recipe tastes and feels more complicated.
- This recipe is really easy!
- Using imitation crab means it’s cheap.
- For an easy spicy kani, just add a bit of hot sauce!
- Japanese mayonnaise is really creamy and delicious.
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Ingredients For Kani Salad
The kani salad ingredients I use are:
Seafood Sticks/Crab Sticks
Cucumber
Carrots
Mango – You need fresh mango for a mango kani salad recipe.
For the Kani Salad Dressing Recipe:
Japanese Mayo – I use Kewpie
Soy Sauce
Lemon Juice
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Where Can You Get Japanese Mayo?
I thought it would be difficult to find Japanese mayo, but I actually bought it reasonably easily at Sainsbury’s.
It’s Kewpie mayo, and it’s gorgeous. It has a much eggier flavour than English mayo and is worth getting.
How to Make Kani Salad – Step-by-Step Instructions
Full, easy-to-follow instructions and quantities are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
This is a very easy kani salad recipe!
Step One
Shred the crab sticks. I do this by literally peeling them into strips like you would a cheese string. It’s the most time-consuming part of the recipe.
Step Two
Julienne the carrots and cucumber and prepare the mango.
Step Three
Toss the shredded seafood sticks with the cucumber, carrots, and mango in a large mixing bowl. I tend to mix it all with clean hands.
Step Four
Mix the mayo, soy, lemon juice, and black pepper in a small bowl or jug until smooth. You can also add a pinch of sea salt to taste, but I never find this necessary with the soy.
Step Five
Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until well-coated. Again, use your hands if you don’t mind getting messy, or use a spoon.
Step Six
Serve straight away.
Serving Suggestions
I serve it like coleslaw on the side of things like burgers, wraps and sandwiches.
You can also serve it on a bed of lettuce as a meal.
Variations
There are a few things that you can do differently to add more flavour and different textures.
Use Real Crab Meat
Shredded crab sticks are perfect for Kani salad. They are cheap, tasty and easy to work with.
But if you don’t like Imitation crab sticks, you could add some real crab meat instead. Just make sure it’s prepared correctly.
Add a Spicy Mayonnaise Dressing
Easy, spicy Kani is great, too. Personally, I prefer the creamy, sweet flavour of mango and mayo.
But if you want a spicy salad, add a tablespoon of hot sauce (something like sriracha) to your dressing.
Add Toasted Sesame Seeds
Crab salad with toasted sesame seeds is very authentic and yummy. Add a tablespoon or two when you mix the dressing or scatter them on top.
Add Avocado
I hate avocado. It’s weird.
But you can add it if you want.
Leftovers
Leftover kani salad can be kept and eaten later as a side or salad for dinner.
Storage
Leftovers will be okay in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container. It will start to soften, though, and the juice from the mangos might make it all a little wet. It’s certainly at its best fresh, and I wouldn’t freeze it.
FAQ
Kani salad is usually made from mango, crab sticks, cucumber, carrots, and a simple Japanese mayo-based dressing.
Kani means crab.
Yes.
Crab sticks are a source of protein. Check the pack for specific nutritional information.
Yes.
Yes.
If you serve it instead of chips, yes, it is great for weight loss. If you eat absolutely loads of it as extra food, no, it isn’t. Like everything else, it should be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Other Recipes
If you enjoy this kani salad recipe, you might also want to try some of these salad and dressing recipes that are perfect for summer lunches:
- Beetroot and Feta Salad
- Halloumi and Cous Cous Salad
- Prawn Pasta Salad
- Easy Orange Salad Dressing
- Chicken and Bacon Pasta Salad
- Creamy Mango Salad Dressing
- Chicken and Halloumi Salad
- Beetroot and Halloumi Salad
- Chorizo and Potato Salad
Recipe Card
Kani Salad
Ingredients
- 250 g Seafood Sticks (shredded into thin strips)
- ½ Cucumber (cut into thin slices – julienne style)
- 2 Medium Carrots (cut into thin slices – julienne style)
- 1 Mango (peeled, stone removed and cut into thin strips)
For the Dressing:
- 4 Tablespoons Japanese Mayo (I use Kewpie)
- 2 Teaspoons Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- Pinch Black Pepper
Instructions
- Mix the shredded seafood sticks with the cucumber, carrots, and mango in a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl or jug, mix the mayo, soy, lemon juice and black pepper until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until all coated.
- Serve straight away, or keep in a sealed tub in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Read the post above for more tips and advice.
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
