Kamaboko, Surimi, and Kani-kama: What Are They and What Are the Differences?

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 popular in Japan that was also exported to the West. Today we are going to see what they are and what their differences are.

Kamaboko, surimi and kani-kama - what are they? Differences?

Surimi - Pressed Fish Paste

Surimi [すり身] is a food made from meat or white fish paste. It can be found in the form of sticks, cubes, rods, medallions, crumbs, zest and usually cut in 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 in the modeling of this base in the final product. can be included Monosodium glutamate, salt, flavors, coloring, starch, egg white, oil and other ingredients.

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 not to be confused with tsumire [摘入] which are fish balls, but without the addition of eggs or other ingredients. See below a slideshow presenting all the details about surimi and its manufacture:

Kani-Kama - The Fake Crab

My father always brought this guy kani-kama home, I always ate it thinking it was crab meat, but in childhood I never realized that it was just pressed meat and that it was sometimes 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 objective of surimi is to mimic the taste and texture of fish like crab and lobster. In Brazil it is easy to find this Kani in large markets next to the cold ones. It is also a common ingredient in sushi Brazilians.

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, surimi and kani-kama - what are they? Differences?

Kamaboko - The history of surimi

The kamaboko [蒲鉾] is a type of traditional surimi that is still very popular in Japan today. Kamaboko is believed to have originated 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.

Kamaboko, surimi and kani-kama - what are they? Differences?

As already mentioned, it can be found in variations such as Kani-kama, or even with artistic touches like the Narutomaki with pink spirals or even cheese flavor in the case of Chi-kama. In South Korea its variation is called eomuk or odeng.

This food is quite common in festivities of new year like Oshougatsu. It can also be purchased at convenience stores already packaged. Because it is made with fish dough, it is possible to make artistic designs like the video below.

The Japanese Kamaboko Organization in 1983 stated that: November 15th is “Kamaboko Day”.

The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:

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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