Why Caramel Popcorn Receipe for Festival?
You might think caramel popcorn recipe is an odd choice as a festive recipe. But here’s why I chose to post it….Mid-January is the time of winter harvest festival, which is celebrated in various parts of India with different names and traditions. It marks the end of winter season where days start getting longer. Unlike most Hindu festivals, which fall on different dates each year, this festival falls on the same date, 14th January. In Maharashtra it is celebrated as Makar Sankranti, as Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Uttarayana in Gujarat and Rajasthan, and Maghi in Punjab. Festive sweets are made out of sesame and jaggery at this time, which are hot in nature and best suited for winter season.
I have posted tilgul vadi and gula chi poli recipes before, so was wondering what recipe should I post this time. That’s when I thought let me see what’s made during Lohri. Lohri is a popular festival in Punjab and is celebrated one day before Makar Sankranti, that is on 13th January.
I read somewhere that on the day of Lohri, kids go door-to-door and sing folk songs. And in return they are given treats like gul rewri, gajak, jaggery and peanuts, and phulle that is popcorn. That’s how I got the idea of posting a popcorn recipe. Now making popcorn is pretty simple so thought of giving caramel popcorn a try. Devansh is not a big fan of caramel popcorn but I love the combination of cheese or salted popcorn with caramel popcorn. So I made some cheese popcorn and some caramel popcorn.
Procedure for making popcorn is the same, for cheese ones you just need to sprinkle the seasoning powder on top of popcorn. Devansh enjoyed the cheese ones, and I enjoyed the combination of cheese and caramel. Hope you all enjoy this recipe of homemade caramel popcorn.
Caramel Popcorn Recipe Video
Caramel Popcorn Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tsp butter
- 1/4th cup corn kernels
- 1/4th cup water
Instructions
- Heat a cooker, add oil and 1 tbsp butter.
- When butter melts, add corn kernels and mix to ensure all kernels get coated with butter, stir for a minute.
- Cover the cooker with its lid, but make sure to take off the whistle.
- When the corns start to pop, give the cooker a good shake once or twice to toss the popping corns.
- After the corns stop popping, turn off heat and take off the lid.
- Transfer the popcorn to a large mixing bowl.
- Add sugar and water in a saucepan, and heat it over low-medium heat.
- When the mixture becomes light brown in color, add butter. (See note below.)
- Stir for a minute and then pour the caramel mixture on the popcorn. (Pour the mixture immediately as soon as it is ready because it starts to thicken real soon.)
- Mix properly so that all popcorn are coated with the caramel mixture and then transfer the popcorn onto a tray lined with parchment (baking) paper.
- Separate the popcorn fast before they’re glued together with caramel mixture.
- Allow to dry properly, and after 5-6 minutes the caramel popcorn is ready to eat.
Video
Notes
- I used half cup corn kernels and kept half popcorn aside to make cheese popcorn. I find caramel popcorn too sweet to eat by itself and prefer the combination of caramel and cheese popcorn.
- In the video, I have added the butter a couple of minutes too soon. This didn’t impact the taste but the color of caramel was lighter than what you usually see on caramel popcorn. You can use brown sugar if you want dark brown color.
- To make cheese popcorn, instead of caramel mixture, add cheese seasoning powder to popped corn.
