This Spicy Kani Salad features imitation crab, mango, avocado, and our sweet, spicy Asian-style sauce. It is sweet, savory, and beautifully spiced, with a great texture, perfect for a weeknight dinner.
I hadn’t known that kani was the shredded form of imitation crab sticks for many years.
When I learnt it, I started experimenting with different flavors, and this spicy kani salad is the best of all; it is vibrant, refreshing, and crisp(like this Cajun shrimp salad).
The creamy, tangy, and spicy dressing enhances the Kani’s natural flavor, making each bite delicious and taste better than the take-out joints.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
⭐️It’s a quick, flavorful salad ready in under 20 minutes.
⭐️Introduce your family to unique ingredients.
⭐️It offers an excellent combination of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
- Imitation crab sticks: You can find them in the seafood section of most grocery stores. Choose leg-style or stick-style imitation crab for this salad. They are sometimes also called Surimi sticks.
- Cucumber: Any variety works. Peel the skin if needed and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
- Carrots: You can use store-bought pre-shredded carrots or julienne them at home. A mandoline slicer makes it easier to achieve thin, uniform cuts.
- Mango: A key ingredient that adds a tropical flavor. Choose mango varieties like Haden, which hold their shape well when cut. You can skip or substitute with apples or pears if mangoes are unavailable.
- Japanese mayonnaise: Kewpie mayo is the classic choice, known for its rich, creamy texture and umami flavor. If unavailable, you can substitute with regular mayonnaise and add a touch of rice vinegar for a similar taste.
- Sriracha: My go-to ingredient for spicing up any dish—it never fails! Choose your preferred brand based on your spice tolerance.
- Rice vinegar adds a rich, umami flavor. If you need an alternative, apple cider vinegar works well—I’ve tried this substitution, and it tastes just as delicious.
- Soy sauce: I used low-sodium soy sauce. Adjust the quantity to your taste if you're using dark soy sauce.
- Toasted sesame seeds: Pre-toasted seeds are available in stores, but you can quickly toast them at home. Just dry-roast them in a skillet over medium heat until they crackle.
- Green onion: I used it as a garnish. If you don’t have green onions, you can skip them.
How To Make Spicy Kani Salad
- Remove the imitation crab from its package.
- Shred the imitation crab sticks (kani) using your hands or a fork. Break them into thin strips for easier mixing with the other ingredients.
- Combine the shredded kani and chopped veggies(julienne).
- Now stir in mayonnaise, Sriracha, rice vinegar, and soy sauce over the veggies. Mix everything until smooth to create a flavorful dressing for the salad.
♨️How To Adjust The Heat Level
This spicy kani salad has noticeable heat, mainly from Sriracha sauce.
However, you can easily customize the spice level by adjusting the quantity of Sriracha sauce.
If you prefer to enhance the heat, increase the quantity of Sriracha sauce and add shishito pepper flakes or chili oil for an extra kick.
The Leftovers
You can store the salad in the refrigerator to consume it within a day, as cucumbers may start releasing water over time, making the salad less fresh.
This is not a freezer-friendly recipe since all the ingredients are fresh and do not retain their shape or flavor once frozen and thawed.
Pro Tips For Best Results
When mixing the ingredients, be gentle. Since most of the ingredients in this spicy kani salad are delicate, toss carefully to avoid breaking them apart while ensuring everything is well coated.
FAQ
Kani salad is a popular Japanese dish with shredded imitation crab meat and fresh vegetables. It is often served as an appetizer or a side dish in Japanese restaurants in the United States.
You can prepare the salad in advance, but storing the ingredients separately is best. Ideally, keep them refrigerated for up to 6 hours before assembling. Beyond that, the fresh vegetables may lose their crispiness.
While cucumbers, carrots, mangoes, and avocados are traditional ingredients, you can add other vegetables like bell peppers, radishes, edamame, or any crunchy veggies you prefer.
Yes, Japanese mayonnaise has a more affluent, creamier, slightly tangier, umami-packed flavor than regular mayonnaise.
This salad pairs well with various Asian dishes, such as sushi, grilled fish, teriyaki chicken, poke bowls, and more.
More Salad Recipes To Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know your thoughts in the 📝 comments section below the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Spicy Kani Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup imitation crab leg style/shredded
- ½ cup cucumber julienned
- ½ cup carrots julienned
- ¼ cup mango julienned/optional
- 2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise Kewpie
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Use your hands or a fork to shred the crab sticks into thin strips.
- Julienne the cucumber, carrots, and mango into thin matchstick pieces.
- In a small bowl, mix Japanese mayo, Sriracha, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded kani, veggies, and dressing. Mix well so everything is coated.
- Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds, mango (if using), and chopped green onions.
- Enjoy fresh, or chill for 10–15 minutes for the flavors to meld.
Notes
- You can substitute Japanese Kewpie mayo with regular mayo + a dash of rice vinegar, and use apple cider vinegar instead of rice vinegar if needed. Mango can also be swapped with apples or pears.
- Adjust the heat level by adding more or less Sriracha; mix in chili oil or shishito pepper flakes for extra spice.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator and consume within a day for best freshness; due to the fresh ingredients, they are not freezer-friendly.
- For the best texture, shred the kani sticks and julienne the veggies finely—this ensures even coating and crisp bites.
- Toss the salad gently to avoid breaking the delicate ingredients, and serve it chilled for maximum flavor and crunch.
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