Despite the Burmese name, crab rangoons were more likely a clever invention of the Bay Area tiki palace Trader Vic’s rather than some exotic tropical import. Premade wonton wrappers, which can be found in the frozen or refrigerated section of Asian markets and some supermarkets, make these an easy fix no matter where you—or the rangoons—call home.
Ingredients
makes 36 wontons
Step 1
In a large bowl, mix together the Sriracha Cream Cheese (page 19), crabmeat, soy sauce, garlic, green onions, lemon zest, and sesame oil. Arrange each wonton wrapper diagonally so that it forms a diamond shape. Place a generous teaspoon of filling just above the center. Brush the outer edges of each wrapper with a small amount of egg white. Fold the filled wontons in half, forming each into a triangle, pressing to seal the edges tightly.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 200°F. Prepare the deep fryer by filling with oil to the manufacturer’s suggested fill level. (Alternately, a cast-iron or other wide heavy-duty pan can be used; fill with oil to a depth of 2 to 3 inches, but no more than halfway up the side of the pan.) Heat the oil to 375°F.
Step 3
Fry the wontons in batches for 3 to 5 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan, as this will lower the temperature of the oil significantly and result in soggy wontons. Keep the cooked wontons on a wire rack set over a baking sheet (or on a foil-lined baking sheet) in the preheated oven until all the wontons have been fried.
Step 4
Serve hot, along with a bowl of Sriracha-Sesame Vinaigrette (page 52) for dipping, if desired.
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