Wontons and crab Rangoon are, on the surface, similar dishes: Theyre both a form of dumpling (essentially, a dough pocket) stuffed with some kind of filling. However, crab Rangoon has a specific type of filling, while wontons have a little more wiggle room when it comes to what theyre stuffed with. Traditional crab Rangoon contains some variety of crab meat and cream cheese. Classic wontons, on the other hand, typically contain a mixture of shrimp and seasoned ground pork with garlic, but there are many different fillings too.
If youre on social media, you might have seen the crab Rangoon meme frenzy several years ago, which helped this dish gain popularity in the United States. The memes became so popular — and for no apparent reason — that there were even Reddit threads questioning why they came to be in the first place. The bottom line: These cheesy crab pockets are so delicious that they jokingly became a love language on the internet.
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 is a wonton?
Dumplings are thousands of years old, and theyve been a staple in Chinese cooking for just as long. Over the years, many different forms of dumplings have been created, including the wonton. There are two main ways a wonton sets itself apart from a traditional dumpling: its dough and its shape. Wontons consist of a much thinner dough than dumplings; both doughs are made from all-purpose flour and water, but wontons thinner dough creates a distinction. Plus, wontons are shaped differently than dumplings, with wonton dough either tucked under itself into a rounded shape or folded into itself to create a square shape. Dumplings are a half-moon shape with many edges that tuck underneath each other.
Wontons can be filled with a variety of ingredients. Most commonly, its some form of meat, but they can also be filled with vegetables. In China, wontons are almost always filled with pork, and varieties made with beef or chicken arent common. Elements like garlic and chives can be added, too, and wontons can be pan-fried, fully fried, or steamed.
Crab Rangoon ~ Why so expensive in restaurant? It’s really simple & easy to make & taste even better
FAQ
Why is it called Rangoon?
What is the other name of Rangoon?
What makes a Rangoon?
Do Chinese restaurants use real crab in Rangoon?
Are crab rangoon & wontons the same?
Two such dumplings that are often conflated include crab rangoon and wontons. These delightful morsels, though sharing the same thin, doughy wrapper, possess distinct flavors, origins, and textures that make them both unique and irresistible.
What is a crab rangoon?
Crab Rangoon, sometimes called crab puffs, crab rangoon puffs, cheese wontons, or cream cheese rangoons, are filled crisp dumpling appetizers served primarily in American Chinese restaurants.
Is Crab Rangoon a good appetizer?
That’s why Crab Rangoon is an ideal appetizer to make yourself. The work you put in is worth it because of how many you can make: enough to feed your friends and family (or yourself!) for a reasonable price. If you’re looking to cut costs further, just leave out the crab. Cream Cheese Wontons are a thing, a very good thing.
Why is Yangon called Rangoon?
The name, too, is emblematic of tiki culture. Rangoon, now Yangon, is the largest city in Myanmar, formerly Burma. Myanmar has a substantial Chinese cultural and gastronomic influence, as the two countries share a border. But neither uses cream cheese in its food—that’s a proud New York product.