The kernels on the left are from a bag of commercial popcorn from the local grocery store. The larger kernels on the right are from Sprouts farther away. The Sprouts kernels pop larger but they are not crisp. The popcorn is soggy. The smaller kernels pop to crisp popped corn. For both a screen was used instead of lid to allow steam to escape.
I'd rather have large popcorn and I'd rather have crisp popcorn. So I'm torn between two popcorn worlds.
How much do I value large popcorn over small popcorn? Um, 5.
How much do I value crisp popcorn over soggy popcorn? 10.
Small crisp popcorn wins.
Technique is ever so tricky. Butter is tossed into the pot that popped the corn because it's still very hot.
Spices are added to the pot to mix with the butter.
Butter is drizzled over the popcorn now in a bowl. It's tossed and more poured over. Tossed again for even distribution.
Then very fine salt is added to stick to the butter. The whole bowl is tossed.
Then 2/3 the popcorn is returned to the pot now messy with butter and spices.
1/3 the pile of grated cheese is added to the popcorn in the bowl. 1/2 the popcorn in the pot is returned to bowl and sprinkled with 1/2 the remaining cheese without tossing. The remainder of popcorn is returned to the bowl and the remaining cheese is added without tossing.
The bowl of popcorn is microwaved for 45 seconds to melt the cheese.
All this to distribute the butter and salt throughout and the cheese incrementally so that it doesn't sink to the bottom. It results in small clumps of spicy salted popcorn held together by melted cheese.
To regular curry of any type I add garlic powder and chile powder. The salt can be added too if you want. The idea is to cook the spices briefly to activate their oils.
No comments:
Post a Comment