Grilled Shrimp Wonton w Sweet Spicy Thai Chili Sauce

Just like there is no dish called chop-suey in China, there is no Crab Rangoon in Rangoon, the former capital of Burma now called Myanmar. It’s an American invention and the dead giveaway is there is no cream cheese in Burma. It’s reputed to have originated from the menu offering of a kitschy San Francisco Polynesian-themed restaurant Trader Vic’s in the 1950’s.

I’ve done my own riff over the years on this crowd-pleasing appetizer that almost always gets eaten in a flash. It’s super easy to make and it travels well for potlucks and tail-gate parties. The shrimp wontons taste pretty good at room temperature with a bit of sweet spicy dipping sauce, but they are sensational right out of the fryer. I like to grill the shrimp before making these wonton bites to give them a smoky flavor. Using two bamboo skewers to hold the shrimp when grilling instead of one minimizes the skewer rolling around on the grill. For a textural crunch I like to add diced water chestnuts. You can substitute jicama or green apple if you can’t find water chestnuts. Instead of the Thai sweet chili sauce, I’ve also used barbecue sauce diluted with some apple juice and spiked with Sriracha.