Coconut Oil Popcorn

Coconut Oil Popcorn made at home is a fraction of the price of those expensive shop bought bags of ‘posh’ popcorn. Ready in less than 10 minutes, you’ll never go back to the packet stuff once you’ve tried this.

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We all need a little treat now and then. But it doesn’t have to be expensive.

One of my favourite economical snacks is Coconut Oil Popcorn.

While I love anything coconut-flavoured, this corn popped at home doesn’t taste strongly of coconut. What the coconut oil does do is give a slightly sweet air and a little more flavour than plainer oils like sunflower.

The only embellishment I think it needs is a tiny pinch of salt and a teaspoon or two of sugar.

A CHEAP TREAT

I pay around £1.10 for a 500 gram bag of popping corn and you’ll only need 60 grams. This works out at 13.2p for the corn. I reckon a tablespoon or 15 ml of coconut oil costs me 17p.

Add a few pennies for the salt, sugar, less than ten minute’s cooking fuel and you’re probably still under 35p. And that’s for a bowlful that will serve two people generously.

TIPS & TRICKS

While you could just bung the popping corn and coconut oil in a saucepan, switch on the heat and hope for the best, over the years I’ve introduced a couple of tricks & tips to ensure evenly popped, crispy corn. That means virtually no un-popped kernels languishing at the bottom of the pan, ready to break your teeth on.

Here’s my tips:

• Use a pan which will hold all the popping corn in a single layer.
• Check that the oil is up to temperature by putting in just 3 kernels as you heat it up.
• When they’ve popped, take the saucepan OFF the heat (and eat the corn, obviously), add the rest of the kernels and wait 30 seconds before putting the pan back on the heat. This gets all the corn to the same temperature so they’ll pop more evenly.
• When the popping starts, angle the lid so there’s a slight gap. This will let the steam out and make the popcorn crispier, but still shouldn’t allow any to escape as it pops like crazy!

Coconut Oil Popcorn is best served straight away, when it’s at its crispiest.

But if you have more willpower than me, you can store cold popcorn in an airtight container and use within 2-3 days. It’ll still taste good but will be chewier rather than crispy.

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Coconut Oil Popcorn

Crisp, delicious and a fraction of the price of store bought, Coconut Oil Popcorn can be ready in under 10 minutes.

Course Snack

Cuisine World

Keyword quick, treats

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 8 minutes

Servings 2

Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

• 15 ml coconut oil (approx 1 tbsp)
• 60 g popping corn
• 2 tsp sugar optional
• 1 pinch salt optional

Instructions

1. Take a deepish saucepan that will hold all the popping corn in a single layer and put the coconut oil in it.

   Put on the hob over a medium heat to melt the coconut oil.

2. When the oil has melted, put THREE of the corn kernels in the saucepan and put the lid on.

3. When all three kernels have popped, take the pan OFF the heat.

   Remove (and eat!) the popped corn, then put in the rest of the kernels in a single layer.

   Put the lid on and wait 30 seconds before putting the pan back on the heat: this gets all the corn to the same temperature so they'll pop more evenly.

4. Within a few minutes you should hear vigorous popping: place the lid so there's a slight gap to let the steam out (this makes the popcorn crispier) but without allowing any corn to escape as it pops.

   Shake the pan occasionally to prevent burning.

5. When the popping has slowed to the occasional pop with quite a few seconds between each one, take the pan off the heat.

6. Transfer the popcorn to a bowl and toss with the sugar and salt if using.

   Best served immediately, but once cooled can be stored for up to 3 days - it will still taste good but will be chewier rather than crispy.