Kani refers to imitation Japanese crab sticks. It does not contain any crab; instead it has flavoring.
Kani salad  is a common appetizer you can find in most restaurants that serve Japanese food. It is a personal favorite. It makes a good sandwich filling as well.
Ingredients:
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and julienned
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
Lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
2 fresh ripe mangoes, thinly sliced
150 grams of kani kama (imitation crab sticks), pulled apart into thin shreds
1/3 cup of Japanese mayonnaise
Tobiko (orange-colored flying fish roe), optional as it is quite expensive
In a bowl, combine the julienned cucumbers, carrots, mayonnaise. Mix well. Place a bed of lettuce on a plate. Place the kani salad on top of it and add the sliced mangoes and tobiko. Garnish with shreds of kani/crabsticks if desired. Serve cold.
Photo Courtesy Of: shmuck