Kanisu is a classic side dish consisting of crab and cucumber with a vinegar dressing. Kani means crab and Su means vinegar, so this dish means vinegared crab. Sweet and tangy, it’s a refreshing dish that is very light and healthy!
Like all food, fresh, real crab is best, but even imitation crab meat is delicious when used in kanisu. I used imitation crab meat, but if course it’s up to you! Also, English cucumbers are my favorite for pickled dishes, but the American variety work well too, but if they are too seedy, you might want to remove the seeds before pickling. And if you don’t feel like making your own vinegar sauce, you can even just use pre-made ponzu sauce, but I strongly encourage you to make it from scratch at least once because the flavor is so much better! Very easy to make, you can throw this dish together in a few minutes when you begin cooking, then have it ready to serve by the time you’re finished!
I find the key to really great flavor is making sure the flavor penetrates the dish, so if you want to serve it quickly, make sure everything is sliced thinly for quick pickling! Having thick pieces of cucumber and crab, it might take a little longer before the flavor is fully developed. So, keep that in mind when you’re planning out your cooking!
Recipe – Crab & Cucumber Salad:
– Mix your sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and dashi in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Stir to let the sugar dissolve, then remove from heat and let cool.
– Slice your cucumber into thin rounds, then cut each round into quarters.
– Dissolve the salt in a small bowl of water, then add the cucumber and let sit for 10 minutes to lightly pickle.
– While the cucumber is pickling, prepare the crab meat. Cut the meat into thin strips.
– Gently squeeze the water out of the cucumber by hand or using a pickle press, then mix together with the crab and vinegar mixture. Let marinate for at least 5 minutes for the flavors to penetrate, then serve!
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