• Popcorn two ways
SMOKY WITH PAPRIKA OR SWEETLY SPICED: WHY NOT BOTH?
Serves 10+
Popping corn kernels Sunflower oil
FOR THE PAPRIKA FLAVOUR
Sweet smoked paprika Salt and pepper
FOR THE SPICED SUGAR
400g caster sugar 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 1 tbsp ground nutmeg 4 cloves 2 cardamom pods 3 bay leaves
1 To make the popcorn, take a large saucepan with a lid and place 3 or 4 corn kernels in the bottom. Pour in enough sunflower oil so it nearly covers the kernels.
2 Add more kernels to the pan – enough to cover the base with a single layer. Put the pan over a high heat and place the lid on. Give the pan a little shake every now and then.
3 When you hear the corn begin to pop a lot, shake the pan continuously while still keeping it on the heat. The oil may spit out of the pan a little, so do make sure your hands and arms are covered. Keep shaking the pan until the popping has slowed right down. Remove from the heat.
4 Using a large spoon, transfer the popcorn to a large bowl – don’t be tempted to tip the popcorn into the bowl as any excess oil from the bottom of the pan will end up in your popcorn bowl and make everything too greasy. Now your popcorn is ready to flavour while it’s still warm.
5 Sprinkle with smoked paprika and pepper, toss through and repeat sprinkling until popcorn is evenly coated. Add enough salt to draw out the flavour of the paprika – taste as you season and stop when happy.
To make sweet popcorn:
1 Before you pop your popcorn, make the spiced sugar. Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until a fine powder is achieved. Pour the sugar through a sieve into a bowl, before transferring to a storage jar. (This sugar is also great on buttered toast or pancakes.)
2 Sprinkle the spiced sugar over freshly made popcorn that’s still warm, tasting as you go, until desired sweetness is achieved.