Have you ever heard of the names Kamaboko, Surimi and Kani-kama? These are different Japanese names used to refer to a pressed fish meat that is very popular in Japan and has also been exported to the West. Today we're going to see what they are and how they differ.
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Surimi - Pressed Fish Paste
Surimi [すり身] is a food made from the meat or paste of white fish. It can be found in the form of sticks, cubes, rods, medallions, crumbs, shavings and usually cut into two colors: white with pink or reddish.
The production of surimi takes place primarily in the transformation of the fish into the base paste, and then shaping this base into the final product. Monosodium glutamate, salt, flavorings, coloring, starch, egg white, oil and other ingredients can be included.
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This paste is usually molded into thin layers, which are rolled, dyed with red dye, vacuum-packed in plastic, baked in the packaging itself and cut into sticks inside the plastic, then frozen (in the case of kani kama).
Surimi vs Kamaboko - What's the difference? Both are the same thing, the difference is that the Japanese word surimi can also refer only to fish paste and not to fish cake in strips or other specific format as in the case of kamaboko.
Surimi should not be confused with tsumire [摘入] which are fish cakes, but without added eggs or other ingredients. Below is a slideshow showing all the details about surimi and its manufacture:
Kani-Kama - The Fake Crab
My father always brought this kani-kama home, and I always ate it thinking it was crab meat, but as a child I never realized that it was just pressed meat and that sometimes it was just flavored with crab extract.
The word kani literally means crab and gave rise to the name of the product. In the 1960s and 1970s, crab meat shortages led Japanese cooks to invent the kani-kamaboko, which quickly became popular worldwide.
In fact, the purpose of surimi is to imitate the flavor and texture of fish such as crab, crab and lobster. In Brazil it is easy to find this Kani in large markets alongside cold cuts. It is also a common ingredient in Brazilian sushis.
Kani kama is protein rich food, not as much as fish. It can be eaten raw, in salads, accompanied by soy sauce or eaten after being boiled for some time, seasoned with lemon.
Kamaboko - The history of surimi
The kamaboko [蒲鉾] is a type of traditional surimi that is still very popular in Japan today. It is believed that kamaboko emerged in the 17th century and was made by fishermen's wives and their families. Literature from the Heian era already talks about surimi.
The preparation consisted of washing the meat of the fish in fresh water, putting it to salt to prolong the conservation period and thus being able to maintain a stock of protein foods outside the fishing season.
Traditional hand-made kamaboko is shaped like bread and then steamed to a firm consistency. The pink and white colors of the kamaboko usually indicate luck.
As already mentioned, it can be found in variations such as Kani-kama, or even with artistic touches such as Narutomaki with pink spirals or even with a cheese flavor in the case of Chi-kama. In South Korea its variation is called eomuk or odeng.
This food is very common at New Year's festivities such as Oshougatsu. It can also be bought in convenience stores already packaged. Because it's made with fish paste, it's possible to make artistic designs like the one in the video below.
We recommend reading: Oshougatsu - New Year in Japan
The Japanese Kamaboko Organization in 1983 stated that: November 15th is “Kamaboko Day”.
Kamaboko, Surimi and Kani-Kama Recipe
Want to learn how to make your own Kamaboko? Why not take a look at the recipe below?
Ingredients
- 300 grams of white fish;
- 1 egg white;
- Salt and Ajinomoto;
Remove the skin and bones from the white fish and chop into small pieces. Soak in cold water and mix to remove any foam. Repeat twice.
Wrap the fish in muslin or cloth and drain the excess water. Grind everything in a food processor, you can use a pestle, do this over and over again. Leave at room temperature for 1 hour. Make sure it's dry, you can use a hairdryer.
Steam in boiling water for 20 minutes over medium heat. When steamed, transfer to cold water and let cool. It won’t be perfect as an industrialized surimi, but it can taste delicious.
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