Crab Rangoon

There's nothing better than a delicious appetizer! Crab rangoon happens to be one of my favorites when we order Chinese, so I knew I had to learn to make it at home. I could probably even eat an entire meal of just these delicious little dumplings! They are crispy on the outside and filled with a savory and sweet mixture of crab and cream cheese. They also present beautifully without being too difficult to make. Try them next time you opt out of takeout!
Yields: approximately 20

Ingredients:
1 pkg. won ton wrappers
1 brick softened cream cheese
1 green onion, finely minced
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
2 sticks crabmeat (you can use the fake kind or use 1/4 cup real crab), diced
black pepper
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
vegetable oil for deep frying
1/4 cup water
2 tsbp. cornstarch

Assembly:
Mix cornstarch and water then set it aside. Mix cream cheese, onion, garlic, crab and soy sauce. Add pepper to taste. Lay a wonton wrapper flat then add a tsp. of the cream cheese mixture to the center. Dip your index finger in the water/cornstarch mixture, then run it along the edge of the wonton wrapper. Fold the wrapper inward like in the picture above, pinching to seal out any air. Repeat until the mixture is gone. While you are working, keep your finished dumplings under a damp paper towel to keep them from drying out. Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Carefully drop several crab rangoon into the oil, making sure not to crowd the pot (this will cause the oil temperature to drop, resulting in a soggy mess). Stir enough to ensure that the dumplings are turning golden on all sides. After about 1-2 minutes, when they are golden, remove the crab rangoon dumplings to a paper towel lined plate. Serve with plum sauce.