SWEET & SALTY NORI POPCORN GIVE THESE A GO…
SERVES 4 / PREPARATION 20 MINUTES / COOKING 40 MINUTES
This recipe is a perennial peoplepleaser. It aims to be all things to all people; it is sweet, salty, umami and just a tad spicy and that is what makes it addictive. Make more than you think you will eat.
50ml neutral oil
200g popping kernels
30g white sesame seeds 50g nori sheets
300g brown sugar
70g salted butter
1 heaped teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon togarashi mixed spice
Heat the oil in a very large pot. Add the popping kernels and stir to coat in the hot oil, stirring until the first kernels begin to burst into popcorn. Cover with a lid and gently shake the pot while the kernels are popping. Continue to cook for approximately 2-3 minutes until the popping sounds begin to subside.
Remove from the heat, tip out the popcorn and allow to cool.
Put the sesame seeds onto a baking tray and bake at 180℃ for 7 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven, then lower the oven temperature to 130℃.
Tear the nori sheets into 2-3cm pieces. Feed a few pieces into a blender running at low speed and blitz into small pieces before adding more. Blitz until it’s all shredded into small pieces.
Wipe clean the popcorn pot and put in the brown sugar with a splash of water. Cook over a medium heat until it reaches 115℃ (approximately 6 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, salt and togarashi. Return the pot to low heat, add half the popcorn and stir. Add the remaining popcorn along with the toasted sesame and nori. Continue stirring to coat the popcorn as best as possible. Tip the popcorn onto large baking trays and put into the oven for 15 minutes. Stir then bake for an additional 15 minutes. Allow to cool and serve; the popcorn will become crisp on cooling.
COOKS TIP: Don’t feel you must coat all the popcorn perfectly.
Savoury yeast & black pepper
popcorn Heat a large pot over a medium heat. Add 60ml neutral oil and 30g popcorn kernels to the pot and cover with a lid. Shake the pot gently. Before the kernels start to pop, add 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon black pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover the pot and continue to shake gently until the kernels pop rapidly, then eventually subside. Allow to cool and serve.
Salt & vinegar popcorn Put ½ cup rock salt into a bowl and stir in ½ cup white vinegar. Put the mixture onto a baking tray and bake at 100℃ until the vinegar evaporates and the rock salt is dry (approximately 1½ hours). Grind salt to a fine powder. Heat 60ml oil in a medium pot, add 30g popping corn and cover. Gently shake the pot to coat kernels and cook until all kernels are popped. Sprinkle over the salt and vinegar seasoning to taste. Reserve remaining salt for other recipes.
Parmesan popcorn Heat 60g butter in a large pot. Once it begins to foam, add 30g popping corn and cover. Gently shake the pot to coat the kernels and cook over medium heat until all kernels are popped. Spread popcorn onto a baking tray and sprinkle over 3 tablespoons powdered parmesan. Bake at 150℃ for approximately 6 minutes until the cheese melts onto the popcorn. Cool and season with salt to taste.
Chilli garlic popcorn Heat a large pot over a medium heat. Add 30g popcorn kernels and 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter to the pot, then cover it with a lid. Gently shake the pot to coat the kernels and cook over medium heat until all kernels are popped. Transfer the popcorn to a large bowl. Heat 60ml oil in a small pan over a medium heat, add 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon chilli flakes and cook until fragrant. Pour the garlic and chilli mixture over the popcorn and toss to coat evenly. Allow to cool and serve.
Mention popcorn and most will say, “Eh… it’s OK.” Yet once they smell the butter and hear the popping they say, “Giz-a-bit.” To me, popcorn is the equivalent of a white T-shirt; never in style, but never out of style, either. It’s what you do with it that matters.