It’s time to celebrate the Chinese New Year, and 2019 is the Year of the Pig. The celebration for the New Year began Feb. 5 and ends Feb. 19, so there’s still time to mark the occasion.
I like to recognize the Chinese New Year by making this recipe for Crab Rangoon, but the treats are so tasty and easy to make you’ll want to serve them again and again.
The biggest challenge when making the recipe is preventing the wontons from drying out. I find if you keep the bulk of the wontons in their original package and just remove a few at a time while filling and sealing them, they will stay moist and pliable until you’re finished. One package of small wonton squares will make 48 Crab Rangoon, but I usually make just 24 and freeze the rest to make another batch later.
The Crab Rangoon is a great appetizer, but it also makes a tasty side to your favorite Chinese main dish. And, of course, you’ll want to serve the meal with a cup of hot tea.
If you’re looking for a sweet treat to finish off the meal, you could whip up some of those little sugared doughnuts some Chinese restaurants serve.
Just take a sleeve of inexpensive refrigerated biscuits and cut each one in half. Round the edges, deep fry them and when golden brown, place in a brown paper sack with 1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Shake the bag to coat them and you’ll have 20 small doughnuts.
CRAB RANGOON
24 small wonton wrappers
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (8-ounce) package artificial crabmeat chunks
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
Combine the softened cream cheese with sugar, lemon juice and garlic powder.
Add chopped green onions and chopped artificial crabmeat.
Stir together until well combined.
Place a sheet of waxed paper on the countertop and place a small bowl of water nearby.
Place a couple of wonton squares on waxed paper and with a pastry brush, brush water around the edges of each one.
Put a heaping teaspoon of the crab mixture in the center of each wonton square and bring the bottom of the square up over the mixture, fold each side up over the bottom and seal the top fold over the bottom fold to resemble an envelope. (By first wetting all sides of the wonton, it helps secure and seal each fold.)
Fry several filled wontons at a time and drain on paper towels. Enjoy immediately! Makes 24.
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