CRAB RANGOON

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The irresistible combo of crispy, fried egg noodle encasing molten cream cheese has made this snack a finger food mainstay. Though it has roots in mid-century Polynesian-style bars and restaurants, the imitation crab stick-filled fried wonton has been adopted by many American Chinese menus. The chef-consultant Eric Ehler designed the menu at Lazy Susan, a Chinese takeout spot in San Francisco; for his version of the classic dish, he uses Dungeness crab meat and adds scallions and lemon zest for color. As a child, Mr. Ehler loved to dip the fried wontons in egg drop soup, or use them as a scoop for rice.

Provided by Cathy Erway

Categories     dumplings, finger foods, appetizer

Time 1h

Yield 42 to 50 pieces

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
3 tablespoons sliced scallion greens
1/2 lemon, zested
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups/7.5 ounces lump crab meat (preferably Dungeness, or substitute with imitation crab)
1 (12-ounce) package yellow square (about 3 1/2-inch) wonton wrappers (about 50)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
3 quarts rice bran or canola oil
1/2 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Steps:

  • Remove the cream cheese from its packaging, set it in a large bowl and let it soften at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
  • Make the dipping sauce, if desired: Stir the ketchup, sugar and rice vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it just to a boil, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool completely.
  • Add the scallions, lemon zest, sugar and salt to the softened cream cheese. Using clean hands, gently flake the crab meat into a separate bowl; pick out any shell fragments. Using a silicone spatula, mix the shredded crab into the cream cheese mixture until evenly incorporated.
  • Unwrap the wonton wrappers from their packaging and separate them from one another. (This will speed up the process when filling them.) Stack them loosely and completely cover with a damp paper towel to keep them moist. Place 1 cup water in a nearby bowl.
  • Place a wrapper on a flat surface, rotated in a diamond position. Spoon 2 to 3 teaspoons of the filling into its center, using another small spoon to assist scraping it off the teaspoon. Dip your index finger into the water, then use it to moisten the entire edge of the wrapper. To make a simple rangoon, fold the wrapper into a triangle by pulling one corner to its opposite corner, pressing out any air and sealing the wonton shut. To make a star-shaped rangoon, lift the left and right corners underneath between your index fingers and thumbs, and lift them up toward the center, pinching your index fingers and thumbs along the seams to fold each tip as you do it, so that a four-pointed star shape forms. Squeeze out any air, then seal the wrapper along the other two tips so the filling is entirely encased.
  • Place the sealed rangoon on a sheet pan or flat surface dusted with flour as you repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. Freeze them for at least 15 minutes (or up to 2 weeks in an airtight container) before cooking to ensure that they leak less during frying.
  • Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven to 350 degrees. (The temperature will fluctuate when frying, but make sure the oil doesn't smoke or dip below 300 degrees.) Keep the oil over a medium flame or half power on an electric range to help maintain the temperature. Working in batches, fry the rangoons until golden brown and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
  • Let cool a few minutes before enjoying, as they will be lava-hot out of the fryer. Enjoy with the optional dipping sauce or another sauce of your choice.

JalilPlayz
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These were delicious! I made them for a party and everyone loved them. I will definitely be making them again.


nic12
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I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfect. I love the creamy filling and the crispy wontons.


AM NOUGHTY Am sorry
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These were easy to make and tasted amazing. I will definitely be making them again.


Three Stooges
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I'm not a big fan of crab, but I loved these! The filling is so creamy and flavorful, and the wontons are crispy and golden brown.


Firoj Mahmud FM (Mostofa mahmud)
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These were delicious! I made them for a party and everyone loved them. I will definitely be making them again.


Hero Tanai
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I've made this recipe several times and it's always a hit. I love that I can make it ahead of time and then just pop it in the oven when I'm ready to serve it.


Eidul Ahmmed
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These were a bit too greasy for my taste, but the flavor was good.


Prince Tenzy
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I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfect. I love the creamy filling and the crispy wontons.


Raj Sunar
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These were easy to make and tasted amazing. I will definitely be making them again.


Hussein Al-Omari
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I've tried this recipe a few times and it always turns out great. It's a hit with my family and friends.


Romiz Hosain
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These were delicious! I made them for a party and everyone loved them.


RWHUMANIH KISENDOH
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These were a bit bland for my taste. I think I'll add some more spices next time.


Haris hussain Marwat
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I'm not a big fan of crab, but I loved these! The filling is so creamy and flavorful, and the wontons are crispy and golden brown. I will definitely be making these again.


Afrul Ahmed
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These were easy to make and tasted delicious. I used imitation crab meat and they still turned out great.


Paul Masette
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I've made this recipe several times and it always turns out great. I love that I can make it ahead of time and then just pop it in the oven when I'm ready to serve it.


Tariq
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These were a bit too greasy for my taste, but the flavor was good. I think I'll try baking them next time instead of frying them.


Someone2124
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These are the best crab rangoon I've ever had! The filling is so creamy and flavorful, and the wontons are crispy and golden brown. I will definitely be making these again.


Hamada Almaz
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I made these for a party and they were a hit! Everyone loved them. They're so easy to make and they taste amazing.


Adelina QLS
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Crab Rangoon is my favorite appetizer! This recipe is easy to follow and the results are delicious. The wontons are crispy and the crab filling is creamy and flavorful. I highly recommend this recipe!


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