Kanisuki is a popular Japanese hot pot dish that allows you to enjoy the rich flavors and satisfying texture of Hokkaido crab. Hokkaido is famous for its abundance of high-quality crab, including horsehair crab, king crab, Hanasaki crab, and snow crab.
Among these varieties, snow crab is sometimes described as the “king of crabs.” It is delicious whether grilled or served as sashimi, but kanisuki offers a different way to appreciate its thick, succulent meat and pleasantly springy texture.
The word “suki” in kanisuki is traditionally associated with suki, meaning “plow,” and refers to a style of cooking in which ingredients are first grilled and then simmered. However, kanisuki is generally prepared more like shabu-shabu.
Pieces of crab are briefly cooked in a flavorful broth before being eaten. The exact vegetables served alongside the crab vary from one restaurant or region to another, allowing each version of kanisuki to have its own character.
One of the greatest pleasures of kanisuki comes at the end of the meal. The broth left in the pot becomes infused with the rich umami of the crab and vegetables. Rice and beaten egg are added to the remaining broth to make zosui, a comforting Japanese rice porridge.
The crab-infused broth gives the zosui a wonderfully deep flavor, making it a delicious finale to a meal. On a cold day in Hokkaido, kanisuki is an especially satisfying way to enjoy the bounty of the sea while warming yourself from the inside out.