A few weeks ago I took a cooking class at a local kitchen store. I was intrigued for a few reasons; one was what they were offering Won-ton Soup, Crab Rangoon and Pot stickers; I have made Rangoon’s many times and they are really yummy and very easy, another is my guys love won-ton soup so that would be a win win; lastly I have tried and failed to make pot stickers in the past and I really wanted to know how to make them correctly. There was also a bonus; the class was being taught by Helen Chen. Her mother was the famous chef, restaurant owner and cookbook author Joyce Chen; Joyce was also one of the 5 famous chefs that the US Post office just released a stamp of.

The class was pretty interesting on a few fronts.  It was less hands on than my classes that I teach in my home and we didn’t get to eat what we prepared.  Helen made up all the dumplings that we were served.  She made all the filings and we watched her make all the Rangoon’s. We did make a few won-tons and a few pot stickers so we knew how to make them which is what I wanted so I was very happy I attended.  It was also very enlightening to me that at the end of class Helen asked all of us what we would like for future classes; they had to cancel the noodle class that was supposed to be the night before as only one person signed up.

I too struggle with finding things people would like to come to a class for. What I love to cook and would like to share with people may not be something anyone else is interested in making/eating. I am going to shoot for having at least one class a month and just put out there things I am excited about and hope they will come.

She did share with us that Crab Rangoon is not authentically Chinese; she said it originated from Trader Vic’s Restaurant in San Francisco – I had no idea!

I am sharing with you my recipe for the crab Rangoon, my family didn’t love the one I received from Helen and mine has less ingredients.

Crab Rangoon – fried won-ton

Package of won-ton wrappers

8 ounce brick of cream cheese

8 ounce crab meat, remove any cartilage (6 ounce cans can be used as well, drain)

2 scallions green and white chopped finely

2 tsp soy sauce

Small cup or saucer of water

1-2 inches of vegetable oil for frying

Mix last 4 ingredients well, take a nice size teaspoon of cream cheese mixture and place in the center of one won-ton at a time, using your finger dunk in the water and go around the won-ton, fold making a triangle making sure each edge is sealed and as much as the air you can remove. Fry till browned on both sides flipping once in 350’oil – be careful if they split open, it will snap crackle and pop and you will end up getting burned, not that that has ever happened to me…

My far more tech savvy daughter will be home for Christmas, if we can make it work, I will post a video on how to make the pot stickers because that was super cool – just look at the picture. I still have some in the freezer and will be making them sometime this week!!!