Easy homemade stovetop popcorn

I am sitting in my balcony blogging (sans coffee but with facepack muhahaha) and I am reminiscing my initial days of blogging (not so long ago technically) which mostly happened all the same way – in the balcony, with laptop on my lap (though correctly placed as per the name but extremely bad for your legs) with tons of coffee to go. I have stopped coffee now though since I didn’t like the fact that I was getting addicted to it & I didn’t like coffee to begin with (oxymoronic but truth). I am truly grateful for those balcony nights/ days because I realised how much I like food blogging & how much I actually enjoy making dishes. Anywho, now about the stovetop popcorn recipe. When cooking pros see this and wonder why I even bothered documenting such a simple recipe, here are my answers for ya’ll.

a) With this blog, I am trying to document as many recipes as possible irrespective of how difficult or easy it is primarily so that I can refer to it later on because sometimes such dishes just won’t strike your mind at the right time.

b) I actually realise more often than not with simple/ no cooking/ very less cooking recipes that, not many people actually either know of the dish or know the dish can be made this simple way. I have actually had many people messaging me (and thanking me) for having introduced such a dish in their life. Overnight oats is a classic example of that & my cousin Nithya is one of those who has gotten completely hooked on to it :D.

c) This is very specific to this blog entry – I remember my mom making this popcorn from time to time for us using the base of a pressure cooker and I remember brands like ACT2 coming up with pre-marinated corn which could be popped on a stove. A little while later, directly microwaveable popcorn (in those microwaveable pouches). I distinctly remember bugging my mom not to make BORING popcorn and buy the COOL (in my stupid mind) popcorn which just had to be microwaved directly.. no need to even bother greasing a vessel for it. Thankfully, I now understand the gazillion unwanted ingredients that go into these microwaveable popcorn. My FIL used to buy those popcorn regularly and I have successfully made him stop buying these. When I told my MIL that those packaged microwaveable popcorns are harmful, she googled and read about the harm and realised that the package in which we need to microwave could be carcinogenic. The time it takes to make a popcorn on a stovetop using dried corn takes the same amount of time as the packaged ones (maybe 2 minutes more) and takes 1 vessel with lid but hey, there are no other ingredients other than corn, salt, butter & turmeric powder that goes in your freshly made popcorns.

I am already convinced that with this blog & the right amount of my forwarding this blog to the mothers I know, there is indeed going to be a swap in their houses wrt the popcorn way :). If the response is overwhelming, I promise to update the blog with the deets :).

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Easy homemade stovetop popcorn

Cook Time

5 mins

 

Course: Snack

Cuisine: International

Servings: 5 cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup dried corn kernels

Instructions

1. Heat a broad based pan with low-medium heat, add 1/2c dried corn and close with a lid. If your lid has a small hole on top, then close the lid completely. If not, just leave a small gap between the lid & the vessel (really teeny) for moisture to escape.

2. Wait for the corn to start popping. This should take a few minutes. 

3. You will know you are done when the popping sound subsides or you hear just a pop or 2 instead of continous popping.

4. When the popping begins, heat 1/2T butter in a microwave (or on stove top). Also keep 3/4c garlic powder & 1/2t salt handy.

5. As soon as the corn is all popped, transfer the popcorn onto a broad bowl. Immediately, add 3/4c garlic powder, 1/2t salt and the melted hot butter on the seasoning.

6. Mix well using hand to ensure all the popcorn is evenly coated with the seasoning.

7. Transfer to an airtight container and consume within a week.

8. Just a few mins of patience and you will have for yourself a movie worthy popcorn ready for consumption. My son & his bestie Eva love these! 

Recipe Notes

1. If you think the corn is starting to burn, turn off the heat & take the vessel of the stove. Continue to keep it closed. You will see the popcorn still popping. 
2. You can add any other seasoning as per your taste. 
3. Make sure to take a broad pan. If you don't have, then add even less corn for popping.
4. You can add 1T butter if you want the popcorn to be nice & buttery. 1/2T butter is just enough to soak in the seasoning.