Kamaboko (蒲鉾) is a Japanese ingredient made from white fish that have been pureed, mixed with flavorings, and then steamed to form a steamed fish cake. Traditionally, kamaboko was formed on a wooden board for steaming which produces the hallmark half-moon shape you see it in.
Nowadays you can find kamaboko without the wood, but most varieties will still be steamed on wood.
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| Imitation crab sticks work great for cheap sushi |
Does this sound totally weird? I wish I could have described it more appetizingly. However, the pureed white fish, called surimi, is the same process that is used to make imitation crab (called kanikama, which is short for kani-kamaboko). So if you've enjoyed a california roll, you've had surimi. The biggest difference between imitation crab and kamaboko is just the texture as kamaboko is chewier and firmer.
