Popcorn

[MrsFogi]

Ok I've searched and read the posts on this subject and I'm still lost so please someone give me an idiots guide - I just want to make plain popcorn. What corn do I need and once I've procured that what exactly do I do (I don't have a microwave)?

Popping corn - usually 80p to £1 in supermarket - ask someone where it is because as far as I can tell there's no rhyme or reason to where they put it.

Once you've got the corn it may well say on the pack how to cook it, but I tend to pour a bit of oil in to cover the bottom of a saucepan, along with one kernel of corn so I know when the oil's hot enough. When the oil is hot, pour in enough popcorn to cover the bottom of the saucepan, put lid on and wait for popping to start

Once it does start popping, shake the pan vigourously until finished or else you end up with soggy oily popcorn

That's just my method anyway, any help?

yep, that's how I make it too !

I do it the same way, just make sure the oil only just covers the bottom of the pan and you just put in enough popcorn to cover the bottom in just one layer.

You might find it in the whole foods aisle.

Oh yes, what goingfor3 said about whole food aisle - always confuses me when I'm shopping but on reflection I suppose it makes perfect sense!

If not there, it may be with crisps and microwave popcorn, but tis quite rarely I find it down that sort of aisle.

yes, it'll be in the grains and pulses I reckon...I sprinkle in a bit of sea salt when it's still warm in the pan and shake it about..yum

I make this loads with my Dc (6 and 4) and we love it.

Couple of tips from bitter experience:

You need to check the capacity of your saucepan - a couple of times I have put too much in and when it pops its just overflows and keeps on going. It is a bit like something out of Alien. Its just trial and error with your particular saucepan, but in general you need much less than you think.

You need a lid and you have to keep it on until it has finished popping - do not be tempted to lift it off etc - popcorn in your face etc it not nice.

I just grind some salt on it as soon as it is cooked and dig in.

Good tip I found on a popcorn packet once (and this is from the woman who goes to the cinema purely for the salty popcorn) was to wait for the first kernel to pop, then take of the heat for 40 - 60 secs, shake and return to heat.

I think the cook in the retained heat, so they're less likely to burn at the end.

Also, I've done popcorn in an almost dry, non-stick pan. Keeps the calories down if you're counting.

You can put the corn in when the oil is cold, just cover the bottom of the pan. No chance of any of it exploding in your face that way!

So does anyone put any flavoring on apart from salt? i cant stand salty popcorn

If you put in into hot oil it absorbs less than if you put it into cold.

I usually add sugar as soon as it's finished popping and is still in the pan so it melts a bit.

DD1s dad puts butter and pepper on his. The pepper is actually quite nice.