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 
yields
Serves 6 to 8
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)
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*
ingredients
Crab Rengoon Dipping Sauce
steps
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
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- Recipe by Andrew Chiou and Tim Ma, Lucky Danger, Washington D.C.
