Crab Rangoon

UUUU…i really love crab rangoon! I got this recipe from

http://bigboldbeautifulfood.blogspot.com/2009/04/crab-rangoon.html

Thank you!

 

Some tips when making Crab Rangoon:

1) Use real crab if you can instead of the imitation crab. I like a one-to-one ratio of crab to cream cheese.

2) Use Asian wonton wrappers or eggroll wrappers that you can find in the Asian grocery stores or more well-stocked national chains and preferably not the “fake” wonton wrappers in national chain grocery stores in the U.S., which I find gummy and unpalatable.

3) Taste your filling and adjust the seasonings before you stuff. Its flavors should be more pronounced than if you were to eat the filling alone, because it has to add enough taste to “carry” the wonton skin. If the filling tastes bland to you before you fill the wontons, it will definitely taste bland after it’s cooked, so taste, taste, taste. Still not sure? Make a few sample wontons, fry them, and taste the finished product; adjust the seasoning as necessary and check if you’re happy with the amount of filling you have in the wontons. I always do this when I’m making these or Filipino spring rolls. Even though I have to heat up the oil to do a test, it’s completely worth it to me, because I don’t want to invest all the time in making the wontons if they don’t come out tasting great.

4) I used to shape these in the traditional wonton shape, but I now think the simpler, the better. The minimalist triangle shape is actually better for tasting the filling and makes for easier eating of the crispy edges.

5) Use beaten egg white to seal the edges. This is important when frying, because you want a good seal so they don’t open.

6) When you seal the wonton, seal right next to the filling, pushing out any air bubbles. Air bubbles will make your wontons explode when frying, particularly if you are using the thinner wonton wrappers vs. the thicker eggroll wrappers (And I do mean eggroll wrappers vs. spring roll wrappers or rice paper wrappers … I know, it’s confusing.).

7) Freeze your wontons for an hour before frying. Unlike meat or veggie-filled wontons, these wontons have a tendency to explode in the oil because as the cream cheese melts, it releases moisture which turns into steam which then needs to find its way out. Freezing the wontons helps minimize this process. To be extra sure, use eggroll wrappers instead of the wonton skins because they are thicker and will hold up to the steam.

Get a deep fryer which is really convenient, whether you fry a lot or just once in awhile. We have a Delonghi deep fryer. It closes, so you don’t have to worry about spatters and odors. It regulates the temperature, so you don’t need a fry thermometer. The oil can stay in there and be used again (you’ll know when you need to change it if there’s an off odor or it’s really dark in color), so you don’t have to keep looking for a receptacle to store the oil you just used in a pan.

6 oz.-8 oz. jumpo lump crabmeat (fresh preferable (the cheaper claw meat is fine too), but canned, or artificial crab can be substituted)

8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 scallions, finely chopped

2 tsp. soy sauce

A shot of worcestershire sauce or patis (fish sauce)

A shot of tabasco or a sprinkling of cayenne pepper

Squeeze of lemon juice (to taste)

Salt and pepper

1 egg white, beaten

Wonton wrapper package(about 50) or eggroll wrappers (these are bigger in size so when you use them, you have to cut them in 4 smaller squares)

Combine ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Open wonton package and cover it with a damp paper towel so the wontons don’t dry out. If you’re using egg roll wrappers, cut them horizontally across the middle and vertically down the middle, being as accurate as possible, to make four smaller squares. I usually take a stack of them, fold the top one in half to get a light crease, and then use a knife to cut through the stack along the crease. The stack should be big enough that you can be efficient, but not so big that some of wonton sheets will slide when the knife goes through and creates some wonton sheets that are unevenly cut. Cover with a damp paper towel.

Take a wonton skin and put it on your board. Brush edges with beaten egg white. Put about a teaspoon of filling in the center of the dough. Fold over wonton, so that it looks like a triangle, lining up the edges. Starting from the filling, press the wonton skin together and out toward the egdes, sealing and pushing out any air bubbles while you do this. Set wonton on a non-stick tray (I use a Silpat or non-stick aluminum foil to make sure the wontons don’t stick to the tray) and repeat until done. Do not overstuff, as wontons will open during cooking.

Cover wonton-filled tray(s) with saran wrap and put in the freezer for an hour. If you’re planning to keep them frozen and use at a later date, put them in a plastic zip-top freezer bag after they’ve been flash-frozen on the trays.

Deep fry at 370 degrees until golden brown (a couple minutes). You’ll likely have to turn the wontons over for them to cook evenly. If a wonton starts leaking, turn over the wonton immediately and let it finish cooking with the hole on top.