Crab Rangoon Anyone?

[MTH123]

Crab Rangoon isn’t Chinese food, but most people in the U. S. think it is. Professional American chefs get asked about this, and some even provide a recipe for it, which is really saying something. It’s the only non-Asian thing I’ve ever seen on a Chinese menu in a higher-end Chinese restaurant, not just a lower-end Chinese restaurant or take-out. It makes a higher-end Chinese menu for a reason. I don’t want to overblow it, but I love it.

 

Crab Rangoon is an appetizer. It’s a little wonton. It’s really easy and cheap to make by anyone. Why pay US$1+ for one crab rangoon at a restaurant, when you can make it yourself at a small fraction of the price, just as good or better?

 

8 oz brick of Cream Cheese, softened

6 to 8 oz Imitation Crab, chopped

0.25 tsp table Salt (or slightly more; to taste)

0.5 tsp Pepper (optional)

0.8 oz Spring Onions, chopped (usable portion of 2 average-size Spring Onions)

14 oz pack of Wonton Wrappers (40 to 50 wrappers)

Cooking Oil

 

Instructions:

 

1.          The day or night before, put the frozen wonton wrappers in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.

2.          1 to 2 hours before, take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator, and bring it to room temperature to soften it.

3.          In the meantime, chop the imitation crab and put it in a work bowl.

4.          Add the salt and optional pepper to the work bowl. Mix well. Marinate for at least 15 minutes.

5.          Clean and trim (i.e., cut off the unwanted ends of) the spring onions. Chop the spring onions into about 1/8-inch to 3/16-inch lengths. Put it in the work bowl. Mix well.

6.          When the cream cheese is softened, put it in the work bowl. Mix well. It takes some working with. The filling is ready now.

 

7.          Set up a work area to make the wontons. Set up the wonton wrappers, little bowl partially filled with water, small plate, spoon, and large plate or baking sheet.

8.          Water is used to seal a wonton wrapper around its filling. Put a wonton wrapper in one of your hands. Using your other hand, dip a finger into the little bowl of water. Draw a square of wetness along the four outer edges of the wonton wrapper. The wetness should be about the width of your finger on all four sides. Dip your finger into the little bowl of water as many times as needed to complete the square.

9.          Using a spoon, put about 2 tsp of filling in the middle of the wonton wrapper. Don't overfill it.

10.       Get ready to make a triangle. Bring two opposite corners of the wonton wrapper together. Seal the outer edges together around the filling, while trying to push out excess air. Push out as much air as you can.

11.       Put the crab rangoons on the large plate or baking sheet. Keep the crab rangoons separated, so they don’t stick to each other. If you’re slow at making these like I am, put a damp paper towel over made ones until you’re done making all of them.

12.       Optional: Extra crab rangoons can be freezed and made later. This is a great part of this recipe, since most of us don’t have enough people in our homes to eat 40 to 50 crab rangoons, lol.

 

13.       Prepare a paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess oil from deep-fried crab rangoons.

14.       In a saucepan, add an inch of cooking oil. Heat it up to 350 F.

15.       In the saucepan, put in a single layer of crab rangoons, while allowing for a little space between them to keep them from sticking to each other.

Especially initially, lightly nudge them around enough to keep them from sticking to each other.

Deep fry the crab rangoons until they're lightly tanned, maybe about 3 minutes.

(If you're cooking frozen crab rangoons, it'll take a little longer.)

When the crab rangoons are done cooking, place them on the paper-towel-lined plate.

Continue deep frying the crab rangoons in batches, until they are all cooked.

 

16.       Alternative #1 to Deep Frying: Bake at 375 F for about 10 to 12 minutes. First, spray or brush oil on the crab rangoons. If you're cooking frozen crab rangoons, bake for at least 18 minutes.

17.       Alternative #2 to Deep Frying: Air fry at 375 F for about 6 to 8 minutes. First, spray oil on the basket and on top of the crab rangoons. If you’re cooking frozen crab rangoons, air fry for at least 12 minutes.

 

18.       Serve. Enjoy!

[abcdefg]

Thank you @MTH123-- That sounds delicious. I've never made it. Not sure I've actually ever eaten it. But it is now on my "to do" list. I'll probably go with the baking option. Deep frying makes a mess in my kitchen, though I'm not against it in principle. 

 

Google suggests it originated at Trader Vic's Tiki Bar in British controlled Burma around the turn of the century. I can picture it in that setting. Gives it lots of panache. Yangon today is not quite as romantic. At least it did not strike me that way, but I was only there as a tourist. 

 

[DRAMACOOLZONE]

THANK YOU

[MTH123]

On 6/12/2022 at 8:30 AM, abcdefg said:

Google suggests it originated at Trader Vic's Tiki Bar in British controlled Burma around the turn of the century. I can picture it in that setting. Gives it lots of panache. Yangon today is not quite as romantic. 

 

Thanks for the trivia! I'll also have to figure out how to add pictures to posts. Baby steps, lol...

 

[abcdefg]

To add photos you have taken or pictures you have clipped, use the menu at the bottom left corner of the frame where you are typing a new message. I use the "choose files" function most, but which method is most convenient probably depends on your laptop's operating system. I seldom do it directly from my phone, although it is possible. (I'm just the wrong generation for that.)

[MTH123]

@abcdefg Thank you! (Hey, the @ thing works great. Thank you for teaching me that one too!)

 

[MTH123]

On 6/12/2022 at 9:02 AM, DRAMACOOLZONE said:

THANK YOU

 

I wasn't sure who you were thanking. It seemed like it was abcdefg, not me. Regardless, please let me know what you think of the crab rangoons after you make them!

[abcdefg]

He was thanking you for the recipe. I still want to make this dish, but have not had time. Maybe this weekend. Looking forward to it. 

[MTH123]

Thanks @abcdefg. I really hope you like them! I hope I haven't overblown them. They are in the middle-ish of my favorite appetizers at Chinese restaurants in the U. S. I can eat them like I can eat a half a bag of potato chips, if you know what I mean.