When doubling this recipe, use two rimmed baking sheets or a large roasting pan to combine the popcorn and spice blend. Get a friend to help.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 ½teaspoonsgochugaru(Korean coarsely ground red pepper)
1 ¼ to 1 ½teaspoonsSichuan peppercorns
¼plus ⅛ teaspoon MSG
½teaspoonfine sea salt
2tablespoonsnutritional yeast, the coarse, flakey kind
1 ½teaspoonspaprika
2 ½tablespoonsneutral oil,such as canola
¼cuppopcorn
2tablespoonssugar
Instructions
To make the spice blend, use an electric spice grinder (a coffee grinder dedicated to spices in my kitchen). Put the gochugaru and Sichuan peppercorns in the grinder and whirl as finely as possible. Shake the grinder as it’s working to move things around. Add the MSG and salt, then whirl to a finer texture, like a powder. Add the nutritional yeast and paprika. Grind more to create a very fine, orange blend.
Sprinkle about ⅔ of the spice blend onto a large, clean rimmed baking sheet (line the baking sheet with parchment first, if yours looks questionably unclean). Reserve the remaining ⅓ of the spice blend. Set the baking sheet near the stove.
Put the oil and 3 popcorn kernels in a heavy 3 to 6-quart pan. Cover with a lid. Set on medium-high or high heat. Have the remaining popcorn and sugar nearby.
After you hear all 3 kernels pop, uncover and pour in the popcorn and sugar. Cover and vigorously shake the pan to distribute. Set back down on the burner. In about 1 minute, the popcorn will start popping. Pick up the lidded pan and shake up and down or side to side to facilitate even cooking. Then replace on the heat. Frequently repeat until the popping slows down and you hear 3 to 5 seconds between pops.
Slide to a cool burner. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you and setting it aside. Pour the hot, gently sizzling popcorn onto the baking sheet, evenly distributing it. Sprinkle the reserved spices on top.
Use a silicone spatula or metal spoon to stir and combine the popcorn to coat it with the spice blend. In about 1 minute, or when you feel the popcorn is cool enough, start using one of your hands, too. You can now toss and turn the popcorn to coat it even more thoroughly. (You can use both hands, but it’s not as efficient as having the spoon in one of your hands to scoop up popcorn and spices.) Keep moving the popcorn and spices for about 3 minutes (longer than in the video because your eyes would have glazed over if I had kept going). Eventually, nearly all the spices will have coated the popcorn. Transfer to a bowl and eat up. Or, store in an airtight container (Andrew uses ziptop plastic bags).