Also known as mock crab or imitation lobster, Surimi is a gelled paste that can easily be flavored, shaped, colored and cooked to resemble all kinds of meats or noodles. Most often it is used to make “imitation” seafood. That’s a bit of a misnomer though because Surimi is made primarily of fish. Most often it’s made from Alaskan Pollock which at the moment is considered a highly sustainable species. It’s inexpensive and a great source of protein. It’s a low-calorie and extremely versatile product you can substitute almost anywhere the “real” thing is used. Surimi has always been popular in Asia where it was initially developed by Japanese chefs hundreds of years ago, but is quickly gaining popularity in the West.
The downside is that Surimi is a highly processed product containing added sugars, flavoring agents and preservatives.
