What is Spicy Kani?
Spicy kani also known as imitation crab is made from surimi; a product made from ground fish, which is mixed with water, flour, starch and seasonings, and formed into compact sticks to imitate crab flavor. The kani is shredded and mixed with mayonnaise, sriracha, and spicy shichimi togarashi seasoning. Spicy kani is served cold and used in sushi, poke bowls and other East Asian-style dishes.
What does Spicy Kani Taste Like?
...Umami is one of five main tastes. It is savory with a depth of flavor. Umami is a taste in many foods, including meat, seafood, beans, and nuts. It is both naturally occurring and created through the specific use of ingredients to create a satisfying taste. Umami is characteristic of proteins and savory dishes.
...Spicy is a flavor that brings heat and fire to food by creating a burning sensation in the mouth or sinuses. Spicy flavors come from hot peppers, horseradish, and wasabi. Spicy adds a kick and sometimes complexity to a dish and releases endorphins, creating a mildly addictive quality.
Ingredients
...Kani, also called surimi, imitation crab, or crab stick is a processed and cooked seafood product, used primarily in sushi and raw seafood dishes. It is served cold and made from ground fish, which is mixed with water, flour, starch and seasonings, then formed into compact sticks. These sticks are orange on the outside and white on the inside. The texture is very similar to crab; flaky and delicate. The flavor is mildly fishy and tastes almost exactly like sweet and delicate crab meat.
...Sriracha is an extremely popular hot sauce that complements many cuisines, particularly those of East Asia. The sauce is a vibrant red color and is easy to squeeze out of the bottle with its semi-thick viscosity. The smell is sweet and spicy and the flavor is similar with a hint of tanginess and garlic. Sriracha tastes very different from any other hot sauce.
...Japanese mayonnaise is a similar to American mayonnaise and uses many of the same ingredients. However, the main distinctions are the use of egg yolks, instead of whole eggs, this gives the mayonnaise a thicker and creamier texture. Rice vinegar is used instead of distilled vinegar, adding another layer of flavor. Dashi powder or other mild seasonings may be added to enhance the flavor. Japanese mayonnaise is cream colored, thick and tastes slightly sweet. Japanese mayo is used on sushi and many other dishes.
...Chili oil is a popular product in Asia, particularly in East Asian cuisines. The oil is made by infusing hot chili peppers into oil. During the process of letting the chili peppers sit in the oil, hot pepper seeds are added for flavor and the chilies are removed. This oil is a deep red color, has a spicy fragrance and is thick from the seeds. The flavor is full, spicy and often has a hint of salt. Chili oil can be added into dishes and on top of dishes, such as noodles, stir fries and meat.
...Sesame oil is pressed and extracted from sesame seeds. Sesame is a tiny seed with an earthy and nutty flavor. The sesame ranges in neutral colors from white to black. Raw sesame oil is yellow. Roasted sesame oil is a light to medium shade of brown. The raw, or non-roasted oil has a milder taste than the roasted variety and is more multi-purpose, whereas the oil from roasted sesame seeds lends a deep, earthy flavor that pairs well in East Asian dishes and is used as a flavoring.
...Shichimi togarashi is a popular Japanese spice blend that is used to flavor noodles, meats and variety of savory dishes. The spice blend can be found prepackaged in the US and has an orange-brown tone composed of flakes and granules of various dried spices. It is hot and spicy with an earthy and citrusy flavor that has hints of ginger and seaweed.