Crab Rangoon-Stuffed Onion Bombs

Steps

1. 1

   Peel the onions and trim them as needed, taking care to keep the layers intact. Make a single incision from the outside of each onion toward the center; this will make it easier to separate the layers after blanching.

2. 2

   Bring a pot of water to a boil. Carefully add the onions and blanch them for approximately 1 minute, just until the layers begin to soften.

   Start 1-minute timer
3. 3

   Remove the onions from the water and transfer them to an ice bath. Let them cool until they are comfortable to handle.

4. 4

   Gently separate the individual onion layers and remove any loose inner membrane or skin. The curved layers will form small cups; set them aside for filling.

5. 5

   In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, imitation crab, scallions, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Mix until evenly combined.

6. 6

   Transfer the filling to a piping bag or a resealable bag with one corner cut off.

7. 7

   Fill each onion cup with the mixture. Preferably use the smaller onion cups, and do not overfill them to reduce the risk of the filling escaping during frying.

8. 8

   Set up the breading station: place approximately 1/2 cup of flour in a shallow dish. In a second dish, whisk the remaining flour with the eggs, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and 1/2 cup of water. Add more water if needed, until you have a thick but dip-able batter. Place the panko in a third dish.

9. 9

   Lightly coat each filled onion cup in the flour, covering the entire exterior.

10. 10

    Dip each piece into the batter and let the excess drip off.

11. 11

    Completely coat each bomb with Japanese panko, gently pressing the crumbs so they adhere.

12. 12

    Place the breaded bombs on a parchment-lined tray and freeze them for 20 minutes. This firms up the cream cheese filling and helps prevent it from escaping during frying.

    Start 20-minute timer
13. 13

    Pour enough neutral oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer and heat it to approximately 350 °F (180 °C) (175 °C (350 °F)).

14. 14

    Working in small batches, carefully lower the chilled bombs into the hot oil. Fry until the exterior is crisp and golden, approximately 3 to 4 minutes depending on their size, keeping the oil temperature as consistent as possible between batches.

    Start 4-minute timer
15. 15

    Fry them a second time at a higher temperature to set the crispness, as indicated in the original recipe.

16. 16

    Remove the bombs from the oil and place them on a rack or a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

17. 17

    Garnish with fresh sliced scallions and serve immediately with plenty of sweet chili sauce for dipping.