Crab Wontons: The One That Made Me Want To Quit Catering

Crab Wontons: The One That Made Me Want To Quit Catering https://www.facebook.com/thejoshuaweissman/posts/how-to-make-crab-rangoon-wontons-/1212625833568698/

See this crab wonton thing

When people first started asking me to make am

I thought na the same thing as spring roll

You know

Just different shape

Same filling

Same frying

But omo

I was so wrong

The first time I tried to make am

The wrappers were too thick

The filling was too watery

The wontons kept opening for the oil

And the crab

Biko

The crab

I used the wrong thing entirely

My kitchen looked like somebody exploded a bag of flour

And the wontons

When they finally came out

They looked like little boats that had sunk

Not the beautiful golden triangles I saw for the restaurant

I almost gave up

I called the client and told them I couldn’t do am

But you know me

I no dey give up easily

So I kept trying

And failing

And trying again

Until I finally figured am out

Now

These crab wontons are one of my most requested appetizers

For weddings

For birthdays

For those corporate events where people want to feel fancy

And let me tell you

When you get am right

These little things na money

How I Even Got Into This Mess

It was 2019

Some woman called me for her daughter’s graduation party

She said she wanted something different

Not the usual small chops

Not the usual spring rolls

She said “Chef Oge, can you make crab wontons”

I said yes

Because that’s what I do

I say yes first

Then I figure am out later

So I went home

Opened my phone

Started watching videos

The videos made am look so easy

Just mix crab

Wrap for wonton skin

Fry

Done

Simple

But you know

Nothing is ever as simple as am looks on YouTube

The first batch I made

The wontons opened for the oil

The filling spilled out

And the oil became a mess

The second batch

The wontons were too thick

And the filling was dry

The third batch

The wontons were beautiful

But the filling had no flavor

I spent that whole weekend making wontons

And by Sunday night

I had finally figured am out

Now

These crab wontons are one of my signature dishes

And people always ask me for the recipe

The Wrappers That Almost Made Me Cry

Let me talk about the wrappers

Because this na where many people get am wrong

The first time

I used spring roll wrappers

The ones wey be thick and doughy

Big mistake

Spring roll wrappers are for spring rolls

Not for wontons

Wonton wrappers are thinner

More delicate

And they fry up crispy and light

You can find wonton wrappers for the Asian store

Or sometimes for the supermarket freezer section

They come in small square sheets

About three inches by three inches

White and slightly floury

If you can’t find wonton wrappers

You can use gyoza wrappers

They’re similar

Just a little thicker

But wonton wrappers work best

The important thing na to keep them covered while you work

They dry out fast

And when they dry out

They crack

And when they crack

They open for the oil

And when they open for the oil

Your filling spills out

And your oil becomes a mess

So keep them covered with a damp cloth

Or a damp paper towel

While you’re working

This keeps them soft and pliable

The Crab Situation That Nearly Finished Me

Ah

The crab

This one nearly finished me

The first time

I used imitation crab

The same one I use for California rolls

But the wontons came out bland

The filling had no depth

No richness

I tried again with canned crab

The kind wey dey come for tin

But the filling was too watery

And the wontons opened for the oil

I tried again with fresh crab

The kind wey you buy from the market

But omo

Fresh crab for Nigeria

Expensive o

And the work wey you go do to pick the meat

Biko

Not worth am

For my events

I use a mixture

Half imitation crab

Half real crab

Or if the budget is tight

All imitation crab with some extra seasoning

The key na to make the filling flavorful

So people don’t notice that the crab is not real

The imitation crab

I chop am finely

The real crab

I flake am gently

So there are some chunks

Some texture

The Cream Cheese That Changed Everything

This na the secret ingredient

Cream cheese

Without am

Crab wontons are just crab in a wrapper

With am

They become creamy

Rich

Decadent

The cream cheese binds everything together

And adds that tangy flavor that balances the sweetness of the crab

The first time

I used too much cream cheese

And the filling was too runny

The wontons were soggy

And they didn’t fry properly

The second time

I used too little cream cheese

And the filling was dry and crumbly

The third time

I got am right

The ratio is important

Two parts cream cheese to one part crab

That’s what works for me

Also

Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature

Before you mix am

Cold cream cheese is hard to mix

And you’ll end up with lumps

Room temperature cream cheese mixes smoothly

And the filling becomes consistent

The Seasonings That Make People Wonder

The crab and cream cheese are the base

But the seasonings are what make am pop

The first time

I only used salt and pepper

The wontons were okay

But nothing special

The second time

I added garlic powder

And onion powder

The wontons were better

But still missing something

The third time

I added soy sauce

And Worcestershire sauce

And a little sugar

And green onions

That was am

That’s the combination that works

Here’s what I use

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Soy sauce

Worcestershire sauce

A pinch of sugar

Chopped green onions

And a little bit of sesame oil

The sesame oil adds that nutty flavor

That makes people wonder what your secret is

Don’t skip am

The Mixing That Tests My Patience

Mixing the filling is simple

But you have to do am right

Put the cream cheese in a bowl

Make sure am at room temperature

Add the crab

Add the seasonings

Mix everything together

But don’t overmix

If you overmix

The filling becomes pasty

And the texture is wrong

You want the filling to be creamy

But you also want some texture

Some chunks of crab

Some pieces of green onion

Just mix until everything is combined

Then taste am

This is important

Taste the filling before you start wrapping

Because once you wrap am

You can’t adjust the seasoning

So taste am

Add more salt if you need

Add more soy sauce if you need

Add more garlic if you need

Make am perfect

Before you start wrapping

The Wrapping That Made Me Want To Pull My Hair Out

Now this is where the real work begins

Wrapping wontons is not hard

But am delicate

And you have to be gentle

The first time

I was too rough

And the wrappers tore

The second time

I used too much water

And the wrappers became soggy

The third time

I used too little water

And the wontons didn’t seal properly

They opened for the oil

The fourth time

I got am right

Here’s what I do

I lay a wonton wrapper on my palm

I put about a teaspoon of filling in the center

Not too much

Just a small amount

If you put too much

The wonton won’t close properly

And the filling will leak out

Then I dip my finger in water

And wet the edges of the wrapper

I fold the wrapper in half to make a triangle

Press the edges together to seal

Make sure there are no air bubbles

The air bubbles will expand for the oil

And the wontons will burst

Then I take the two corners of the triangle

And bring them together

Overlap them slightly

Press them together

This gives the wonton that classic shape

The one wey look like a little boat

Or a tortellini

If you don’t want to do that shape

You can just leave am as a triangle

The triangle shape is easier

And am works just as well

But the boat shape looks more professional

And people are impressed by am

The Frying That Makes Or Breaks Everything

This is where everything can go wrong

The first time

My oil wasn’t hot enough

And the wontons absorbed all the oil

They were greasy

And heavy

And nobody wanted to eat them

The second time

My oil was too hot

And the wontons burned on the outside

But the inside was still raw

The third time

I got am right

Here’s what I do

I use a deep pot

With about two inches of oil

I heat the oil to about 350 degrees

If you don’t have a thermometer

You can test am with a small piece of wrapper

If am sizzles and floats to the top

The oil is ready

I fry the wontons in batches

Not too many at once

If you overcrowd the pot

The temperature will drop

And the wontons will be greasy

Each batch takes about two to three minutes

Until they’re golden brown and crispy

I turn them once

So they brown evenly on both sides

When they’re done

I remove them with a slotted spoon

And put them on paper towels to drain

The paper towels absorb any extra oil

And keep the wontons crispy

The Dipping Sauce That Completes Everything

You cannot serve crab wontons without dipping sauce

The wontons are rich and creamy

They need something tangy

Something acidic

To cut through the richness

The first time

I just served them with soy sauce

And the wontons were okay

But nothing special

The second time

I made a sweet and sour sauce

And the wontons were better

The third time

I made a sweet chili sauce

And that was am

Sweet chili sauce is the perfect match for crab wontons

The sweetness balances the creaminess

And the heat adds a little kick

Here’s what I do for the sauce

Sweet chili sauce

Rice vinegar

A little soy sauce

And some chopped cilantro or green onions

Mix everything together

And serve am on the side

Or you can make a simple dipping sauce with soy sauce

Rice vinegar

And a little sugar

Or you can use store-bought sweet chili sauce

The one wey dey come for bottle

Just warm am up

And serve am

The Baking Option When You Don’t Want To Fry

If you don’t want to fry

You can bake the wontons

Baking is healthier

And am less messy

But the wontons won’t be as crispy

And they won’t have that golden color

Here’s what I do for baking

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Brush the wontons with a little oil

Or spray them with cooking spray

Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Bake for about ten to fifteen minutes

Until they’re golden and crispy

Turn them halfway through

So they brown evenly on both sides

Baked wontons are good

But fried wontons are better

The frying gives them that texture

That crispiness

That people love

How Long This Whole Thing Takes

This dish takes time

Especially if you’re making a lot

The filling takes about fifteen minutes to prepare

The wrapping

That’s what takes time

Each wonton takes about a minute to wrap

And if you’re making fifty

That’s almost an hour of wrapping

So give yourself time

Don’t rush

The frying takes about fifteen minutes

If you’re frying in batches

So from start to finish

About an hour and a half

But am worth am

How Many People This Feeds

This recipe makes about thirty to forty wontons

Depending on how much filling you put in each one

That serves about six to eight people as an appetizer

For events

I make double or triple the recipe

Because people always want more

These wontons disappear fast

All The Mistakes I Made

Let me tell you about my mistakes

All of them

So you can avoid them

First mistake

Using spring roll wrappers

They were too thick

And the wontons were doughy

Now I always use wonton wrappers

Second mistake

Using too much cream cheese

The filling was too runny

And the wontons were soggy

Now I use the right ratio

Two parts cream cheese to one part crab

Third mistake

Not seasoning the filling enough

The wontons were bland

And nobody wanted to eat them

Now I season am properly

With garlic

Onion

Soy sauce

Worcestershire

And sesame oil

Fourth mistake

Overfilling the wontons

They wouldn’t close properly

And the filling leaked out

Now I use about a teaspoon of filling

Not too much

Fifth mistake

Not sealing the wontons properly

They opened for the oil

And the filling spilled out

Now I wet the edges well

And press them together firmly

Sixth mistake

Frying at the wrong temperature

The wontons were either greasy or burnt

Now I use a thermometer

And fry at 350 degrees

Seventh mistake

Overcrowding the pot

The temperature dropped

And the wontons were greasy

Now I fry in small batches

Eighth mistake

Not draining the wontons properly

They were oily and heavy

Now I drain them on paper towels

The Secrets I Discovered By Accident

Let me tell you some secrets

Things I discovered by accident

Or things other chefs told me

First secret

Add a little sugar to the filling

The sugar balances the saltiness of the soy sauce

And adds a touch of sweetness

Second secret

Use green onions

Not regular onions

Green onions add freshness

And a little bite

Without being overpowering

Third secret

Don’t skip the sesame oil

Am adds a nutty flavor

That makes people wonder what your secret is

Fourth secret

Make the filling ahead of time

The flavors meld together

And the filling tastes better

Just keep am in the fridge until you’re ready to use am

Fifth secret

Keep the wrappers covered

They dry out fast

And when they dry out

They crack

And when they crack

They open for the oil

Sixth secret

Taste the filling before wrapping

This is the most important step

Once you wrap am

You can’t adjust the seasoning

So taste am

And make am perfect

Seventh secret

Serve the wontons immediately

They’re best when they’re hot and crispy

If they sit too long

They get soft

And lose their crunch

Eighth secret

Make extra

People always want more

And these wontons disappear fast

Questions People Always Ask Me

Can I use real crab instead of imitation

Yes

Real crab is better

But am more expensive

And more work

I use a mixture of both

Can I freeze the wontons

Yes

Freeze them on a baking sheet

Then transfer them to a freezer bag

Fry them from frozen

Just add a minute or two to the cooking time

Can I make the filling ahead of time

Yes

Make am a day ahead

And keep am in the fridge

The flavors will meld together

And the filling will taste better

What if I can’t find wonton wrappers

You can use gyoza wrappers

Or even spring roll wrappers

But the texture will be different

Can I bake instead of fry

Yes

Baking is healthier

But the wontons won’t be as crispy

How do I reheat leftover wontons

Put them in the oven

Or in an air fryer

Don’t microwave them

They’ll become soft and soggy

What other sauces can I use

Plum sauce

Sweet and sour sauce

Sriracha mayo

Anything you like

The Truth About This Dish

Crab wontons are not complicated

But they’re not easy either

Am one of those appetizers that looks impressive

But requires attention to detail

You need to get the filling right

Wrap them properly

And fry them at the right temperature

If you rush

The wontons will open

Or be greasy

Or burn

But if you take your time

And follow the steps

The result is beautiful

Crispy golden wontons with a creamy

Flavorful filling

Served with sweet chili sauce

An appetizer that looks like am from a restaurant

My Final Words

These crab wontons na show stopper

When I serve them for events

People always go crazy for them

They take pictures

They ask for the recipe

They want to know where I learned to make them

And I just smile

And tell them am simple

Just follow the steps

Don’t rush

And pay attention to the details

If you can do that

Your crab wontons will be sweet

Better than the ones dem dey sell for restaurant

So try am

Mess am up

Try again

And when you finally get am right

Serve am to your family

Or your friends

And watch their faces

That feeling

Na the reason I keep cooking

One more thing

If you’re making this for a party

Make extra

People always want more

And when they finish am

They will be asking you when you’re making am again

Alright

I’ve said enough

Go and make your crab wontons

And if you mess up

That’s okay

I messed up too

We all mess up

Just try again

Practice makes perfect

And soon

You’ll be making crab wontons like a pro