Recipe: Lollipop Ragoon · A Table Called Home

I’ve always believed food is more fun in little bites. Give me a room full of trays and I’m happiest making the rounds, grabbing one of this, trying one of that, going back for another because it was too good to leave behind. I’d take grazing my way through a dozen different little bites over sitting down to one big dinner any day.

That obsession eventually turned into a cookbook idea. Chow and I have worked on a couple of cookbooks together, and we started dreaming up one of our own called Bite Me, devoted entirely to the joy of eating small. We imagined chapters like On a Stick, Balls, Buns, Dumplings ’n Pancakes — basically every delicious excuse to eat with your fingers.

Our publisher, however, had other ideas. Bite Me was passed over in favor of something considerably more ambitious: Thai Food Stories, which is forthcoming from Tuttle in June 2027. The final book contains 224 recipes, plus stories, interviews and a whole lot of Thai food lore.

And that is actually the cut-down version. We started with more than 300 recipes.

So, with Bite Me still rattling around in my head, I’ve decided to rescue one of its little ideas and give it a home here.

Enter the Lollipop Rangoon.

We took one of our childhood favorites, crab rangoon, and put it on a stick. Because apparently even a perfectly good crispy, creamy crab rangoon can be improved by making it slightly more ridiculous.

A nostalgic nod to the ‘80s, the Crab Rangoon - a crispy, gooey, and beloved appetizer from our childhoods – always elicits “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd. We've twisted this classic up a bit by serving it on a stick for a little playful fun.

Not everyone has the time or patience to fuss around with sticks, so we’ve got you covered. You can still enjoy this dish by simply folding the wrapper diagonally to achieve the classic crab Rangoon shape.

And for those with dietary restrictions, fear not. You can substitute the crab for sweet and tangy (and vegetarian!) mango chutney. The chutney can be mixed into the cream cheese filling or added as a dollop to the wonton before sealing.

Makes 30-50 bites (recipe can be halved)

Prep time: 25-35 minutes

Ingredients:

1 package of lumpia wrappers (or wonton wrappers)
1 cup cream cheese (226g), softened
1 teaspoon of five-spice powder (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon of curry powder (or more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper or paprika (to taste/optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional add-ins: 1/2 cup of cooked crabmeat or 2 Tablespoons of mango chutney (or to taste)
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons warm
Little skewers (optional)
Thai sweet sauce for serving

Equipment- Lollipop sticks or wood skewers

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, five-spice powder, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Feel free to add some ground red pepper if you want a little heat.
If using, fold in the cooked crab meat or mango chutney to the cream cheese mixture.
Take a lumpia wrapper and cut it into 4 equal squares. Place a small dollop of the cream cheese mixture in the center of each square.
If using the little skewers, place one on each square
Mix flour and warm water in a small bowl to create a paste.
With your finger, add the flour/water paste over the surface of the wrapper outside the cream cheese mix. Place another wrapper over and seal well. Give an extra squeeze around the skewer to make sure it is sealed in place. Make sure there are no air bubbles. Alternatively, you can skip the skewer and just fold over a single wrapper by bringing opposite corners of each square to the center and pinch together and then pinch to seal.
Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat.
Fry the Ragoon Lollipops until they are golden brown on all sides, for about 1-2 minutes per side.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the lollipops from the oil and drain them on a paper towel or in a colander.
Serve the Ragoon Lollipops right away while still warm with Thai sweet sauce on the side for dipping.