Butter Popcorn With Sumac Food

PERFECT POPCORN

Steps:

• Place the oil, popcorn and salt in a large, 6-quart, metal mixing bowl. Cover with heavy-duty aluminum foil and poke 10 slits in the top with a knife.
• Place the bowl over medium heat and shake constantly using a pair of tongs to hold the bowl. Continue shaking until the popcorn finishes popping, approximately 3 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the heat and carefully remove the foil. Stir in any salt that is on the side of the bowl.
• Melt the butter in the microwave. Slowly drizzle over the popcorn, while spinning the bowl. Serve immediately.

BUTTER POPCORN WITH SUMAC

Steps:

• Combine butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook and stir until butter is just melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir sumac, chili powder, and salt into butter-oil mixture.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add 3 popcorn kernels to the oil and cover saucepan with a lid. Once the 3 kernels have popped, the oil is ready. Add the remaining popcorn, cover saucepan, and cook popcorn, shaking saucepan constantly, until you no longer hear popping. Remove saucepan from heat.
• Transfer popcorn to a large heat-proof bowl and let sit for 2 minutes to ensure better coverage by the butter.
• Pour half of the butter mixture in a second large bowl and swirl it around the bottom and sides; add popcorn and mix with a big spoon. Transfer the popcorn back in the first large bowl; stir again. Pour remaining half butter mixture into the second bowl and swirl around again; add the popcorn in and mix again.

THEATER-STYLE BUTTERED POPCORN

Steps:

• Movie theaters use butter-flavored oil, which has a lower water content than butter so it makes popcorn less soggy. Real clarified butter has the same effect. To make it, melt 2 sticks butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. Let sit for a few minutes; the butter will separate into 3 layers. Skim off the top layer of foam, then slowly pour the clarified butter into a heatproof container; discard the bottom layer of milk solids. Use 3 tablespoons hot clarified butter for 10 cups popcorn; refrigerate the rest (it's great for sauteeing).