Origins of Crab Rangoon - Sampan (2024)

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Origins of Crab Rangoon - Sampan? ›

When and where did Crab Rangoons originate? Most sources indicate that Crab Rangoons were likely invented by Victor Bergeron, the founder of Trader Vic's, sometime in the 1950s. Fried wontons existed in the U.S. at least as far back as the 1930s.

Although the appetizer has the name of the Burmese city of Rangoon, now known by Burmese as 'Yangon', the dish was probably invented in the United States by Asian American chef Joe Young working under Victor Bergeron, founder of Trader Vic's.

Although crab Rangoon can be found in almost all the Chinese restaurant in the United States, again, this dish has nothing to do with Chinese food. The word “Rangoon” in the name “crab Rangoon” is really an old name of Yangon, the largest in Myanmar.

In fact, the majority of the most famous Chinese food dishes in the west don't exist in China, including the famous Chinese takeout box, mainly because of the kind of ingredients available, for example, the cream cheese, an ingredient so uncommon in China that makes the crab rangoon almost impossible to find.

The staple appetizer on Chinese-American restaurant menus has now become ubiquitous on Thai ones as well. Not because it is Thai, it's not even Chinese, but because they sell. For some reason, the combination of grease, salty cream cheese and non-existent fake crab meat strikes a chord with American taste buds.

It has a Burmese name, is served in a theoretically Chinese restaurant, and its main component was invented in New York in the late 19th century. I conducted a survey through Twitter, in which more than 650 people responded with their experience of crab rangoon. The vast majority adore this dish, as I do.

There are two schools of thought relating to the genesis of Crab Rangoon. The first tells of its debut at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904-- a year the city has never since exceeded in terms of global attention or charm.

The name comes from Rangoon, now Yangon, which is the largest city in Myanmar, formerly Burma. I am finding slight disagreement on if Victor himself as claimed by his granddaughter Eve Bergeron (head of marketing and public relations) or if Joe Young, a Chinese-American barback at Trader Vic's did the actual creation.

Yangon is the largest city in Myanmar and the industrial and commercial centre of the country. It was known abroad as Rangoon until 1989, when the government of Myanmar requested that Yangon, a transliteration reflecting the Burmese pronunciation of the city's name, be used by other countries.

Definitions of Rangoon. the capital and largest city of Myanmar; located in the south near the Irrawaddy river delta. synonyms: Yangon. example of: national capital. the capital city of a nation.

What's the difference between crab rangoon and crab wontons? ›

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).

Popular Chinese Dishes. General Tso Chicken – According to Grubhub, this sweet fried chicken dish is the most popular Chinese food in America. It's also unhealthy, considering that it is deep-fried and the recipe demands tons of sugar.

This recipe uses real crab, but the versions you enjoy at restaurants typically use imitation crab, or surimi, which are actually batons made from white fish. If you're having trouble finding crab meat for this recipe, you can sub in imitation crab meat if you like!

Most sources indicate that Crab Rangoons were likely invented by Victor Bergeron, the founder of Trader Vic's, sometime in the 1950s. Fried wontons existed in the U.S. at least as far back as the 1930s.

I love Panda Express' Crab Rangoons and they're so easy to make! Oddly enough, they don't use crab or imitation crab in their original recipe. Feel free to add some though, it's delicious! My local Panda Express offers 3 for $2.35.

Worst: Crab Rangoon

It's mostly cream cheese, wrapped in dough and deep-fried to create bite-sized calorie bombs. Because they're small, it's easy to eat more than one. Finish an order of 4, and you're likely to get more than half the calories and fat you should have in an entire meal.

One of the biggest clues in the makeup of crab rangoon that this dish is American over Asian in origin is the cream cheese. Cream cheese was a staple in 1940s and 50s America but this is not an ingredient you'll have found in China or Burma or Polynesia.

While actual crab is not the primary focus of crab rangoon, either imitation crab or the real stuff adds necessary flavor. The best shape for crab rangoon is a four-pointed star: It concentrates the filling and maximizes surface area for more crunch.

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).

Worst: Crab Rangoon

It's mostly cream cheese, wrapped in dough and deep-fried to create bite-sized calorie bombs. Because they're small, it's easy to eat more than one. Finish an order of 4, and you're likely to get more than half the calories and fat you should have in an entire meal.