Popcorn
Easy homemade popcorn from scratch. Top with your favorite spices or salted butter. Follow the tips below the get it just right!
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.
Notes
The pan would be miraculously full to the brim now. Transfer to a bowl and shake on the paprika if you are using. You can also stir in a knob of butter or any other toppings you like. Shake over some castor sugar if you fancy a sweet and salty treat. Add onion powder and finely grated cheese if you want to be fancy while the popcorn is still hot. The opportunities are endless.