Crab Rangoon & Bongo Bongo Soup & Kine Wontons

Today I got a craving for Crab Rangoon. I had got wonton wrappers at the store thinking of making Dim Sum but I think I changed my mind. It is one of the popular items at Tarder Vic's Restaurant in Emeryville, CA (San Francisco Bay Area) which serves Polynesian style food. I have not been to SF in a long time. It is time to plan another trip there. I like to visit “THE CITY” every once in a while. The Crab Rangoon is part of the popular "Cosmo Tidbits" at Trader Vic’s consisting of spareribs, BBQ Pork, Crap Rangoon and Crispy Pawns.
The following Crab Rangoon recipe is from the original chef. The Bongo Bong Soup is another popular item on the menu. The last recipe is Kine Wonton. It is Hawaii Style Crab Rangoon.

Crap Rangoon

Ingredients:

½ pound cooked crab meat or shrimp
1 teaspoon green onion, finely minced
¼ pound cream cheese (room temperature)
½ teaspoon steak sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves minced garlic
1 pound won ton wrappers
1 beaten egg or 2 egg whites
3 cups vegetable oil

Combine crap meat or shrimp, green onion; cream cheese, steak sauce and garlic.

Place ½ teaspoon of mixture in center of won ton wrapper; fold square over to form triangle. Lightly brush the center with the beaten egg.

Bring opposite corners together and press gently, so filling will be secure. Place oil in wok and heat to 375 degrees F. for deep-frying.

Deep fry one crap of shrimp wonton and adjust heat downwards if necessary. Fry rest of puffs until delicately brown, less than two minutes. Serve hot.

Bongo Bongo Soup

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups half and half
10 ounce fresh oysters, poached (or 10 ounce canned) whirled in a blender to puree
¼ cup strained creamed spinach (baby food)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon MSG
1 teaspoon A-1 sauce
½ teaspoon salt
3/8 teaspoons ground black pepper
dash garlic salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 teaspoons cold water
2/3-cup heavy cream, whipped
In a large saucepan, heat the half and half just to simmering. Add oyster puree, spinach, butter, MSG, A-1 sauce, salt, butter, garlic salt, and cayenne. Heat to simmering, whisking until smooth; so not boil. Add cornstarch mixture, and heat and stir with a whisk until soup is slightly thicken, correct seasoning. Ladle into heatproof serving bowls. Top each with a spoonful of whipping cream. Slip under broiler just until cream is well glazed and slightly brown.

Makes 4 servings.

Kine Wontons

1-quart oil
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 (12 ounce) package imitation crabmeat, flaked
1 (5 0s) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
5 green onions, chopped
3 (14 ounces) packages wonton wrappers

Directions:
Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan tp 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, soy sauce, imitation crabmeat, water, chestnuts and green onions.

Place approximately 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of each wonton wrapper. Fold into triangles and seal edges with moistened fingers.

In small batches, fry the wontons into the hot oil 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown, Drain on paper towels.