“Oh, no!” Hazel wailed. “Popcorn! Our fatal weakness!” Rick Riordan, “The Blood of Olympus”
If, like me, you are sick of real food at the moment, consider making popcorn for dinner. A bit odd? Yes. But, the first Thanksgiving is rumored to have included t
his tasty treat, which is high-fiber to boot. What more could anyone want?
Of course, if you’re actually going to have popcorn for dinner, you’re going to have to find a good movie and step up your game from that odd-tasting stuff that has a tendency to catch fire in the microwave. Yes, it is possible, even easy, to make kettle corn at home. Seriously. Have fun!
Homemade Kettle Corn
Place a large, heavy-bottomed kettle on a stove burner. Place 1-2 Tablespoons high-heat oil (such as canola or coconut) in the bottom and swirl to coat. Add 1 Tablespoon popcorn kernels per person.
Turn the heat to medium high. Put on the lid and put a glove-style pot holder on each hand. When the first kernels start to pop, lift the kettle off the burner and vigorously shake it from side to side (not up and down) to redistribute the kernels that aren’t yet popped. Make sure to hold the lid down while you are shaking. Put the kettle back on the burner. Repeat the shaking maneuver every 30 to 60 seconds until the popping slows down to almost nothing.
Turn off the heat. When the popping entirely stops, open the lid away from your face. (The steam will be hot.)
Distribute popcorn into individual bowls and let people top as desired. The oil from the kettle provides some flavor. I like to add nutritional yeast flakes and a tiny bit of salt to my bowl. A cinnamon-sugar sprinkle is another good possibility, as is (for non-vegans) a dusting of Parmesan cheese.
Nora Edinger -- JOY Journal 