Turmeric Popcorn with Ghee
This turmeric popcorn recipe tastes legit like the movie theatre popcorn which I love and sorely miss. It is buttery, bright yellow, and tastes so good which is everything you want from a movie theater popcorn. I made this as an evening snack and the buttery smell brought everyone to the kitchen. My daughter promptly helped herself to a bowl of this and curled up with a book. The ghee, turmeric, nutritional yeast flavour is fun and totally addictive. Just a word of caution though, they do stain your finger and tongue yellow. I would not recommend eating this while sitting on a pristine white couch.
This recipe for Turmeric Popcorn is from Lee Capatina's Eat Good Fat Cookbook. I love the concept of this book, it taps into the inherent goodness of natural unprocessed fats and nutrient-dense foods. Lee demystifies good and bad fat and teaches you how to cook with good fat. We could all benefit from adding good quality fats into our die
I use a lot of beans and lentils in my cooking. While I have quite a few recipes that showcase the versatility of lentils (Coconut spinach dal or vegan lentil sweet potatoes), I don't have any bean recipe on my blog. It is time to change that. This recipe will be a great addition to a thali or into your weeknight repertoire.
The secret to a buttery popcorn
I was surprised to find out that there is actually no butter in the classic movie theater popcorn. They actually make popcorn in canola oil and sprinkle it with salt and butter flavouring (which is delicious even if it is not the real deal). Popcorn kernels need a high temperature to pop and butter will burn at this temperature. It is best to cook the popcorn in any neutral oil with a high smoke point like sunflower oil or avocado oil. Then toss the popped corn in ghee! for that delicious buttery flavour. Ghee is clarified butter which gives is easy to make at home but a good quality store-bought version would also work.
A few tips to achieve the perfect popcorn at home.
Always use a large stockpot to make your popcorn. There is a lot of shaking involved, dutch ovens are too heavy for this (unless you want a workout and some popcorn).
When adding the kernels to the pot ensure you give it a good shake to coat the kernels in the oil. It also needs to be in a single layer without crowding the pot. This allows all the kernels to pop uniformly.
Popcorn comes together quickly so ensure you have all your ingredients on hand. Also, Have a large bowl ready to transfer the popped kernels.
Grind your salt! this helps it adhered to the popcorn uniformly without it sinking to the bottom of the pan.
When it comes to using turmeric a little goes a long way. Ensure you gently heat it with the ghee in this recipe. Sprinkling it directly on the popcorn will not coat it uniformly and it may also taste have a bitter aftertaste.
The kitchn has you covered when it comes to making the perfect popcorn, I highly recommend reading this. Who knew the world of popcorn in quite complex!
For other snack ideas check out my chocolate hazelnut balls
Turmeric Popcorn with Ghee
Inspired by the Eat Good Fat cookbook, this turmeric popcorn is a golden, ghee-kissed upgrade to classic movie-theatre popcorn. The ghee adds a rich, nutty flavour while turmeric brings a vibrant yellow hue. A pinch of black pepper takes it to the next level - perfect for Friday nights.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ⅔ cup popcorn kernels
- ¼ cup (60 ml) ghee or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) ground turmeric
- 2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Blend the salt, nutritional yeast, and black pepper in a small blender or spice grinder until you have a fine powder. Set aside.
- Heat the avocado oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add 2-3 popcorn kernels and cover the pot. When they pop, add the remaining kernels and cover again.
- Using potholders, shake the pot once or twice to coat the kernels in oil, then leave it over the heat until the popping slows to a few seconds between pops. Give it one final shake and remove from heat.
- In a small pan over low heat, melt the ghee or coconut oil. Stir in the turmeric until combined.
- Pour the turmeric ghee over the popcorn. Add the nutritional yeast mixture and salt, then shake or toss well so everything is evenly coated.
- Transfer to a large bowl and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Use fresh popcorn kernels - old kernels won’t pop as well.
- Ghee gives the best flavour, but coconut oil works for a vegan version.
- Add more nutritional yeast if you want a “cheesy” taste.
- This popcorn stays crisp for a few hours but is best eaten fresh.
