Crab Salad

Crab sticks (surimi) are what most people use for this salad today, and they work well. The salad itself began with canned crab meat; sticks, made from minced white fish (usually pollock) with crab flavouring and colour, replaced it once canned crab became hard to find in the USSR from the 1980s. They taste mild and slightly sweet, and the texture is soft. Real crab is sweeter and briny, with fibres that pull apart. If you use it (canned or freshly cooked), drain it very well, check for shell fragments, and cut back on the salt, since crab is salty by itself.

Excess water in crab salad comes mainly from the cucumber and canned corn. For cucumber, cut it into pieces and place them in a colander with a pinch of salt for 10–15 minutes, then gently squeeze or pat dry before adding — this draws out a surprising amount of liquid. For canned corn, drain it in a sieve, then spread it on kitchen paper and pat gently to absorb the remaining brine. Crab sticks also release water as they sit, especially if they were frozen: thaw them in the fridge overnight, not at room temperature, and pat dry before slicing. Mixing the salad with a generous amount of mayonnaise and refrigerating for 30 minutes before serving also helps the ingredients bind and reduces pooling at the bottom.

Yes, many home cooks do. This recipe leaves it out, so the salad stays lighter and the corn and cucumber come through more. If you want rice, use about 200 g of cooked, fully cooled rice (around 70 g dry) for 250 g of crab sticks, as in our crab stick salad with rice, and add one more spoon of mayonnaise because rice soaks it up. Never mix it in warm: it softens everything else and clumps.

The most effective substitution is Greek yogurt (full-fat, 5–10%): replace the mayonnaise in a 1:1 ratio for a tangy, creamy result with significantly fewer calories. A blend of 50% Greek yogurt and 50% light sour cream (15%) is even closer to the original richness. For a completely dairy-free option, use a good quality vegan mayonnaise. You can also make a quick light dressing by whisking together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, salt and pepper — this gives a clean, fresh flavor. Whatever you use, season the dressing carefully, as yogurt-based substitutes taste more acidic than mayonnaise and may need a small pinch of sugar to balance.

Crab salad keeps in the refrigerator for a maximum of 24–36 hours in an airtight container. It spoils quickly for two reasons: crab sticks (or real crab) are cooked seafood with a short shelf life once opened, and the mayonnaise breaks down and separates over time, creating an ideal environment for bacterial growth. Never leave the salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Signs that the salad has gone off include a sour or fishy smell, watery separation, and a change in color. For best safety and quality, make only as much as you will eat within the day. If preparing for a party, keep the salad refrigerated until serving and never leave it out on the table for more than 1 hour.