Be honest, we all get those cravings. For something salty, ( in my case spicy too), crunchy and totally not good for us. More so when you are in company (say, at work or at school or university) and trying to be a good person. “You” won’t be the one going over to the wending machine and getting that $2.50 packet of crisps (or chips – whatever you may call it). It is a waste of money, on food full of empty calories and not much nutritional value. You don’t need that stuff. Think of all the plastic packaging!
Yet, sometimes, you are in company and the person next to your work station decides, they need that packet. What’s more, they will eat this in an off hand manner. They will nosh on noisily, headless of people around them. The problem with the crunch of a chip is that, it is addictive. It tricks our brain into wanting the same. We start imagining putting it in our mouth, it cracking between our teeth… and so on. You get the idea. We aren’t writing a passionate love letter to chips right now.
I have found having your own defense is the best offense. Have a savory snack handy, that will help curb or at least manage the blind urge to steal that packet of chips from the other human. If someone offers you a chip, you can just eat one and offer them your own little snack! Winning!
There are many home made snacking options but we will today start with the basic popcorn. Home made popcorn, will, by virtue of being home made, will not have too much salt or sugar. Use a healthy oil. It won’t have toxins, or flavorings or freshness agents that are carcinogens…. Plus, as it turns out, you are paying more for things that will harm your body and end up in the landfill anyway. See a theme here? Do a quick search and you will find out how many nasties actually go into those convenient microwave bags of popcorn.
If we talk thriftiness, we still win by buying local popcorn instead of those microwave bags. At my local Weigh and pay shop, I buy the popping corn kernels for $2.65/ Kg. You go buying those pre packaged bags, you could be paying anything between $2.50 to $5 for a packet of 100 – 150 grams. The mind boggles when you actually break everything down to its bare bones. Buy yourself some organic popping corn, and we are in business.
Now you will say, why Diva, must you devote a whole post to how to pop popcorn. I will say, you don’t know how many people in their 20s don’t know how to do it. People born in the same decade as me have only seen popcorn come out of a bag. Mostly in developed countries. This is no reflection on their abilities, only a reflection on the trends of the society. To be a healthy society, we need to move towards, sustainable whole foods that are naturally good for you and waste free anyway. How simple.
Now it is very easy to make popcorn, but it is also a science, much like anything else done in the kitchen. Follow as below to get the perfectly popped batch of this high fiber, wholegrain, low calorie snack !
Popcorn
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Peanut oil or coconut oil or any good oil with high smoking point
- 1 tsp Salted Butter If desired
- 1 tsp Salt or to taste
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 tbsp popping corn kernels
- Alternate spices/toppings to whatever you fancy
Instructions
Stove top Method.
- Heat the oil and butter in a Deep and wide pan with a lid and a handle on a medium flame.
Put your salt, turmeric and corn kernels in the oil. Shake and stir so that all the corn is under the oil and fully covered in it. This is going to help you get an even pop with a good distribution of salt. Put the lid on, now wait. Resist the urge to put the flame on high. Just wait. In a minute or so you will hear a single pop. Then another, and then another. It will all escalate in a crescendo. Start shaking the pan vigorously while holding the lid down. Not up and down, but back and forth and sideways. This is a pro tip mind you, it will pop most of your corn an you will barely have two or three un popped kernels.
Once the popping sounds decrease to just a pop or two, switch the flame off. Keep the lid on and shake a little more – to get the last ones popped.
Keep your face away as you take the lid off. The air coming out is hot!
Microwave Method.
- In a microwave proof bowl combine your oil and butter, with salt and turmeric and corn kernels. Cover and put it in the microwave for 5 – 6 minutes on high. It will take a few minutes before you hear the first pop and feel free to pull it out before the given time if you hear the popping stop. It means whatever is going to pop has done so.
I personally prefer the stove top method as it gives a better results with very little waste of un popped kernels because you can shake the pot and distribute the heat more evenly. Microwave also burns some corn while leaving others un popped. However microwave is sometimes more convenient. It is up to you.
Recent Comments