Learning To Love Crab Rangoon

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I can imagine traditionalists recoiling as I begin this post extolling crab rangoon, humble staple of suburban Chinese restaurants and mall food court steam tables across the United States. Crab rangoon aren’t even Chinese, they might protest, before sniffing that melted cheese isn’t typically found in the cuisine of the Middle Kingdom.

Fair points, I suppose, but crab rangoon are an undeniably Chinese American culinary contribution, which makes them worthy of inclusion in these pages. Light and crunchy, with a savory crab and cream cheese filling that’s complemented nicely by a sweet dipping sauce, crab rangoon are also pretty tasty when you get right down to it.

Focusing exclusively on authenticity prevents an appreciation for the ways that crab rangoon (and other “Americanized” dishes like lo mein, egg rolls and beef with broccoli) have contributed to Chinese cuisine’s popularity in this country. Consider that there are more Chinese restaurants in America than McDonalds, Burger Kings, and Wendy’s combined. Or that Panda Express is a multi-billion dollar Chinese American success story.

Crab rangoon can be comfort food, a bridge for newcomers to explore other corners of the menu or an invitation for families to enjoy familiar flavors together without a large Chinese community nearby. I would argue that the proliferation of deep-fried, melted cheese nibbles on American bar food menus is evidence that crab rangoon’s historical impact extends well beyond the walls of your local Chinese takeout place.

Making crab rangoon at home is simple and easy, using ingredients commonly found at most any grocery store — including the essential duck, plum or sweet chili dipping sauce from the restaurant. Put out a plate of crab rangoon at your next Super Bowl or Final Four party and they’re sure to be gone by halftime.

On a trip to Shanghai a few years ago, my wife and I were dumbfounded when we discovered crab rangoon listed on a restaurant menu. So, while traditionalists will steadfastly point out that crab rangoon didn’t come from China, they’ve apparently now made the return trip.

Shine on, crab rangoon. Shine on.

Here’s how to make crab rangoon, step-by-step. The detailed tutorial with pictures and directions is at the bottom of the page.

Your turn! What tips can you share from your family’s recipe? Want to ask a question before you start cooking? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!

Crab Rangoon Recipe

Makes: 48 Pieces | Prep Time: 30 Minutes | Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese
6 ounce can of crab meat
2 green onions
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
48 wonton wrappers

Directions

1. Finely chop the garlic and green onions.

2. Combine the cream cheese, crab meat, green onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce in a bowl.

2. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling onto the center of each wonton wrapper.

3. Moisten the edges of the wonton wrapper, then fold into a triangle, crown or purse shape, removing air bubbles and pressing the edges tightly to seal. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

4. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a pot to 375 degrees. Deep fry the wontons in batches until golden brown on all sides, approximately 3 minutes.

5. Remove the wontons to a paper-lined plate to drain, then serve immediately with a dipping sauce of your choice.

Step-By-Step Tutorial

Start by gathering your ingredients. This is a simple and easy recipe using ingredients you can find at almost any grocery store. Most of the preparation time is spent folding the wontons.

Finely chop the garlic and green onions.

Combine the cream cheese, crab meat, green onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce in a bowl. I find that using your hands works best.

Place 1 teaspoon of the filling onto the center of each wonton wrapper.

I’ve seen crab rangoons in three shapes: a triangle, a crown and a purse. Start by moistening the edges of the wonton wrapper. For a triangle, simply fold in half lengthwise. For a crown, go one step further and bring together the two corners of the triangle together with a dab of water. For a purse, bring the four corners of the wonton wrapper together, then seal the edges. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Note the importance of removing air bubbles and pressing the edges together tightly to prevent filling from escaping while cooking. The filling will splatter hot oil while cooking.

Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a pot to 375 degrees. Deep fry the wontons in batches until golden brown on all sides, approximately 3 minutes.

Remove the wontons to a paper-lined plate to drain.

Serve immediately with a dipping sauce of your choice. Plum sauce, duck sauce or sweet chili sauce all make great choices.