Crab Rangoons - The Local Palate (2024)

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recipe Leave a Reply FAQs

Andrew Chiou from Lucky Danger in Washington D.C. uses a rice cooker to temper the cream cheese, but a microwave will work too. You want it to be a very soft, spreadable consistency (without melting) to mix easily with the rest of the ingredients. Once mixed, let the filling cool back down for easier scooping.

Photo by: James Smith

recipe Crab Rangoons - The Local Palate (2)

yields

Serves 6 to 8

    ingredients
  • 2 cups cream cheese, tempered
  • 10 sticks imitation crab meat, minced
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon MSG
  • 1 tablespoon soy paste
  • 1 tablespoon chinese five-spice
  • 4 scallions, minced
  • 1 package (7×7-inch) spring roll wrappers
  • Canola oil or grapseed oil
  • 1 batch dipping sauce (recipe follows)
  • Crab Rengoon Dipping Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • Pinch of MSG
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cornstarch slurry*
steps
  1. In a mixing bowl, stir cream cheese, crab meat, sugar, MSG, soy paste, chinese five-spice, and scallions together until well-combined. Let cool down all the way.
  2. Cut spring roll wrappers to be about 5×5-inches. (Pro tip: Choiu puts the wrapper scraps to use, placing a piece or two under the filling to keep the rangoon bottoms from getting soggy.) Place 2 tablespoons of filling in center of each square and pinch wrapper around it, forming a beggar’s purse shape.
  3. Fill wok with 3 to 4 inches of oil and place over high heat. When oil is hot, fry wontons, several at a time, until golden brown. Serve with dipping sauce.

Crab Rangoon Dipping Sauce

Makes ¼ cup

*In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon flour, a pinch of baking powder, and a pinch of baking soda. Stir with enough water to create the consistency of a hollandaise sauce.

In a pot, combine all ingredients over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture has reduced by half.

Date Published: 01.20.22

  • Recipe by Andrew Chiou and Tim Ma, Lucky Danger, Washington D.C.

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Crab Rangoons - The Local Palate (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between crab wontons and Crab Rangoons? ›

What is the difference between crab wonton and crab rangoon? Crab rangoon is a type of fried wonton, so they are really very similar. The difference is all in the filling. Traditional wontons are not ever filled with cream cheese (which is one of the main components in crab rangoon recipes).

What's the deal with crab rangoon? ›

American Chinese crab rangoon is a 1940s crab-and-cream-cheese dip stuffed into a wonton and deep-fried—a pure distillation of tiki fusion weirdness. Crab rangoon is, after all, a preposterous dish.

Is crab rangoon Chinese or Japanese? ›

Although the appetizer has the name of the Burmese city of Rangoon, now known by Burmese as 'Yangon', the dish was probably invented in the United States by Asian American chef Joe Young working under Victor Bergeron, founder of Trader Vic's.

Is crab rangoon healthy for you? ›

Worst: Crab Rangoon

It's mostly cream cheese, wrapped in dough and deep-fried to create bite-sized calorie bombs. Because they're small, it's easy to eat more than one. Finish an order of 4, and you're likely to get more than half the calories and fat you should have in an entire meal.

Is Panda Express crab rangoon real crab? ›

I love Panda Express' Crab Rangoons and they're so easy to make! Oddly enough, they don't use crab or imitation crab in their original recipe. Feel free to add some though, it's delicious! My local Panda Express offers 3 for $2.35.

Do Chinese restaurants use imitation crab in crab rangoon? ›

These cheese wontons are traditionally served in American-Chinese Restaurants are commonly filled with cream cheese, imitation crab meat, scallions, and sugar. Each wonton is then hand wrapped and shaped by gathering the edges to form a triangle, four-pointed star, flower, or purse shape.

Can you eat leftover crab rangoon? ›

When paired with a little duck sauce or Thai chili sauce, it's hard to resist eating an entire order. But, if you do find yourself with either leftover crab rangoon or a frozen package that you're not sure how to reheat, there is one easy solution: the air fryer.

Do you eat crab rangoon cold? ›

For best results, serve the dip hot, but my family likes it cold too if you're short on time."

Does crab rangoon taste fishy? ›

A little salty, and a little briny. As far as real vs. fake, it's a toss-up. The real crab had a much more distinctly "fishy" flavor which might turn some people off.

Do people in China eat crab rangoon? ›

In fact, the majority of the most famous Chinese food dishes in the west don't exist in China, including the famous Chinese takeout box, mainly because of the kind of ingredients available, for example, the cream cheese, an ingredient so uncommon in China that makes the crab rangoon almost impossible to find.

Is imitation crab real crab? ›

Just like the name implies, imitation crab contains no crabmeat. Fish is, however, one of the main ingredients. It is made using surimi, which is a paste made of fish and a few other ingredients. Surimi is often made with pollock, which is also used to make fish sticks and breaded fish products.

Does crab rangoon have fish in it? ›

Contains: Crab, Milk, Wheat, Soy, And Fish (Anchovy).

What is the healthiest Chinese food to eat? ›

13 Healthiest Chinese Food Takeout Options
  1. Steamed dumplings. Dumplings offered at a Chinese restaurant are pockets of dough filled with seasoned meat and vegetables, usually pork and cabbage. ...
  2. Hot and sour soup or egg drop soup. ...
  3. Moo goo gai pan. ...
  4. Beef and broccoli. ...
  5. Chop suey. ...
  6. Chicken and broccoli. ...
  7. Baked salmon. ...
  8. Happy family.

What Chinese food can a type 2 diabetic eat? ›

Choose lean proteins

Some lean protein choices include chicken, lean ground pork and fish. These proteins are often used in Chinese main dishes such as Kung Pao Chicken with Bell Peppers. Plant-based proteins, such as tofu, are also found in Chinese dishes.

What Chinese food is good for upset stomach? ›

Chicken Congee (China)

Chicken congee, a classic Chinese rice porridge, is an ideal choice for those feeling ill. The dish is easy on the stomach while offering sufficient protein from the chicken. A notable aspect of chicken congee is its adaptability.

Are crab puffs and rangoons the same thing? ›

At most Chinese-American restaurants, you can find Crab Rangoons and they are a hugely popular item. Also known as Crab Puffs, Crab Pillows, and Cheese Wontons, these are essentially fried wontons stuffed with cream cheese and imitation crab (or sometimes real crab).

Is crab rangoon made of wonton wrappers? ›

Crab Rangoon, aka Crab puffs or Crab Wontons are a popular American-Chinese dish consisting of wonton wrappers filled with a mixture of crab meat, cream cheese, and seasonings. It is then deep-fried until golden and crispy and served as an appetizer.

What's the difference between a wonton and a dumpling? ›

When comparing Chinese dumplings vs wontons, some key differences are: Wrappers: Wonton wrappers are thinner, are usually square, and may contain egg. Dumpling wrappers are thicker, are usually round, and don't require egg. Filling: Dumplings can be filled or unfilled.

What is the shell of crab rangoon called? ›

Cran Rangoon is a delicious crispy wonton wrapper filled with a creamy crab mixture and deep fried to golden perfection. It's a popular takeout dish that you can get at your Chinese restaurant! Best served with sweet Thai chilli sauce or plum sauce!

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