What is surimi?

Surimi is a kind of edible paste made of processed meat or seafood One common example is imitation crab meat, which is made of white fish such as cod The process can also be used to produce beef, pork and poultry products Surimi is used as a low-fat meat substitute or as a cheap source of protein They often add artificial flavors and pigments to imitate other meat and seafood products The processing of surimi originated from Southeast Asia, and it was further developed in Japan in the 16th century Today, the United States, Japan and Thailand are the largest producers of surimi In addition, countries such as China, Vietnam and Malaysia also produce surimi To make surimi, first wash the fish or meat, remove the bones and cut into small pieces Remove excess water and freeze quickly The paste is then partially thawed and mixed with sugar, MSG, natural or artificial flavors Starch, vegetable oil, egg white and other ingredients are added to improve the texture Sorbitol is also used as preservative They are pasteurized in a steam pot after being shaped into different shapes and colors by imitating meat or seafood This prevents bacterial growth and prolongs shelf life Finally, the product is vacuum packed and labeled for sale on the market In Japan, we can buy hundreds of surimi products In addition to imitating crab meat, it is also used to imitate all kinds of fish and tubular food Many countries also use surimi to cook dishes In China, beef or minced pork is made into meatballs for soup or braised meatballs; a soup of Vietnamese cuisine is also made of pork or meatballs Of course, there are other Southeast Asian countries eating minced meat products in different ways In the United States, the process is used to produce frozen fish sticks and salmon pies In addition, it is also used to produce healthy Turkey substitutes such as bacon, sausage and hamburger.