Popcorn, or popcorn, is loved by both children and adults. According to nutritionists, home-made popcorn is healthier than store-bought popcorn. Especially if you use natural corn grains. To please your loved ones, you can cook this delicacy yourself, at home.
What will you need
To make popcorn at home, you will need the following ingredients:
- 100 g natural corn kernels
- powdered sugar or salt to taste
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
You will also need utensils - a deep frying pan with a large diameter or a thick-walled pan with a lid.
How to make popcorn at home
Put the corn kernels in the freezer ahead of time. Refrigerate them for at least 20 minutes. If possible, increase the grain freezing time to 2-3 hours.
After that, put a deep pan on the fire, the volume should be at least 2 liters. If you don't have a suitable pot, use a wide frying pan with high sides. A cast iron skillet is great for making popcorn. Although it warms up slowly, it retains heat well.
You can cook popcorn not only on a conventional stove, but also in a microwave.
Heat a frying pan or saucepan without adding oil over high heat. To check the degree of heating, drop water on the bottom of the dish. If the water begins to sizzle and evaporate quickly, the pot or pan is hot enough. Take it off the heat and then put it on a stand. Do not reduce or turn off the fire.
Now take the corn out of the fridge. Carefully and quickly pour the grains into the pan. The corn should cover the bottom of the dish with only one layer, otherwise there won't be enough room for it to heat up. Drizzle the grains with vegetable oil. Use a cold-pressed olive oil or refined sunflower oil.
Cover the pot tightly with a lid, then shake the pan well several times so that all the grains can be evenly saturated with oil. And again put the dishes on the fire. As a result of a sharp temperature drop from low to high, corn kernels will explode sharply and quickly. Almost all of them burst, open, and also turn inside out.
After 30–40 seconds, the first pops from the pan will be heard: the corn grains will begin to open. Initially, the explosions will be single, and then more and more frequent. During this period, it is strictly forbidden to open the lid of the dishes. Otherwise, you may be burned by corn kernels that have escaped from the pan or hot steam. In addition, the grains can abruptly spill out of the dishes onto the floor.
After about 3-4 minutes, the explosions will finally stop and the corn will be popped. Cooking times may vary slightly depending on more or less raw beans used. It is best to focus on hearing: if the pops in the dishes have stopped, then the popcorn is ready.
Remove the pot from the heat and carefully open the lid to release the remaining steam. Sprinkle the finished popcorn with powdered sugar, salt or other seasonings of your choice. Cover the product again with a lid and shake well. As a result, the seasoning will be evenly distributed over the corn kernels. Transfer the popcorn to a wide glass bowl or serve it in portions in plastic deep glasses.
For kids, you can make sweet popcorn by seasoning it with jam, syrup, melted chocolate, or caramel.
Often, when we go to a cinema or an entertainment center, we buy ourselves a whole bucket of popcorn. It tastes so good, and the movie (or show) seems more interesting. This hearty, low-calorie meal can be made at home.
The best varieties
Everyone knows what popcorn is made of. From corn. But not everyone knows that not every variety is suitable for its preparation. The grains should burst easily when frying, have good taste and airiness inherent in popcorn.
Corn for cooking and preservation is called sugar. It contains more starch, the shell of the grains is dense and, when heated, immediately cracks without opening. Popcorn kernels are correspondingly lower in starch; The film on them is thin, but strong. Therefore, they do not burst immediately and “air” perfectly. 
How to make popcorn out of such corn, consider below.
The best varieties for making delicacies are "Volcano", "Pop-Pop", "Zeya", "Ping-Pong", "Gostinets", "Vnuchkina Joy" and others.
Variety - heat-loving plant, resistant to the type of variety - medium early, productive. Plant height up to 2 meters. Yellow grains have an oval rice-like shape. The length of the cobs is about 15-22 cm. Up to 100-120 g of grain can be obtained from one cob. This variety is also called "Razlusny Volcano" or "Erupting Volcano".
"Pop-Pop"
"Pop-Pop"- medium-early, high-yielding. The plant is slightly lower in height than other varieties - 130-170 cm. The grains are yellow, wide, elongated. Cobs are cylindrical, about 200-250 g in weight.
"Zeya"
"Zeya"- an early maturing variety. 80 days after planting, you can harvest. Everything is similar to other varieties, except for grains. They are burgundy or dark red, wide, rounded on one side, pointed on the other.
"Ping pong"
"Ping pong"- medium-early variety. Ready to harvest about 100-110 days after planting. It has short, up to 15 cm, cobs and small yellow grains.
Early variety, ready to harvest in 80 days. Its feature is high drought resistance, resistance to lodging. It easily tolerates high temperatures, so it can be grown in dry, hot regions. The plant reaches a height of more than 2 m. The cobs are about 20 cm long. The grains are yellow, pearl-like. 
"Granddaughter's Joy"
"Granddaughter's Joy"- a variety similar to Zeya, early ripe. Only he has small cobs, up to 12 cm. Shoots up to 1.5 m, the grains are light orange. Differs in high productivity. Corn of this variety is moisture-loving, does not tolerate drought well, grows and yields only on well-fertilized
At "Red Popcorn" a distinctive feature is low shoots, up to 110-120 cm in total. It is also an early variety. It is also distinguished by beautiful cobs, small, only 5-10 cm, similar to grains of red color. Taste qualities are excellent. 
Did you know?- the main food of Mexicans and Indians.
Growing features
To make popcorn at home, you first need to grow corn. Anyone can do this in their area. All you need is optimal conditions and, of course, desire.
Corn is grown on any soil, except for sandy and especially loose. The plant is tall, it needs to be firmly rooted, and on such soils it is difficult. Cultivation is most often carried out in the steppe and forest-steppe climatic zone, because all varieties are thermophilic. The winds in this area are strong. On weak soil, “lodging” of plants is possible, which will negatively affect the development of the shoot and, consequently, the yield. 
Landing
One of the first conditions for successful cultivation of corn for popcorn is landing in well-warmed soil. So, landing is in May (although it all depends on the weather).
First we prepare the soil. Let's start with the analysis of the soil and the "predecessors".
We have already talked about soil. You can add here that the culture does not tolerate soaking, so alumina in the lowlands is also not suitable.
Everyone knows that it is impossible to plant corn in the same place. It will grow well after and etc. Planting areas should be such that 4-5 rows fit. The yield of a crop, if it is planted in 1 row, falls.
Before disembarking, you can make a deposit for every 10 sq. m. about 150 g. The soil must be loosened to a depth of 10 cm and cultivated. It should not be on it otherwise the corn will break through them for a long time. Maybe even die.
In addition, the seeds for planting need to be prepared. First of all, they need to be soaked. To do this, they are placed in warm water with the addition (slightly pinkish) and kept for a day. The grains have time to swell.
Plant directly into the ground (without growing seedlings) with mandatory watering. The square-nested method 50 cm by 50 cm is best suited for culture. 3-4 grains are placed in the hole, watered and sprinkled with earth 2-3 cm. Seedlings will appear in 10-12 days. 
Important! Sweet corn and popcorn should not grow side by side to avoid mutual pollination.
Care
Culture does not require special care. Frequent watering may be needed only for moisture-loving varieties. In other cases, one watering per week under the root will be enough.
For high yield required 3-4 weeks after germination - organic. Before the release of "panicles" - When forming cobs - and
As already mentioned, weeds are the enemy of culture. Weeding rows and aisles will have to be 3-4 times over the summer. Can spoil the harvest and Swedish fly, corn borer. They will help to cope with the means purchased in a specialized store. 
Corn is pollinated by the wind. If the weather is calm, then you can shake the stems when pollen appears on the panicles and the embryos of the cobs in the axils of the leaves.
Collection and storage of cobs
You need to collect the cobs only when when they dry well on the stems. Previously not recommended. If the cobs are harvested raw and they do not dry out at the “root”, this will affect the opening of the grains. And we grow them precisely in order to get popcorn.
With proper collection and storage, the detection rate will be 95%.
You need to pluck the cobs in the “clothes” from the stems, we will remove it immediately before storing it. After harvesting, the heads of cabbage need to be kept for another month in a cool and very dry place, then unloaded into cloth or paper bags. You also need to store the cobs (namely the cobs, not the grains) in a cool, dry place.
Important! The use of corn is contraindicated in gastric and duodenal ulcers, thrombophlebitis and increased blood clotting, low body weight and anorexia.
Popcorn preparation. Recipe
Next, let's take a closer look at how we can make popcorn at home. It turns out that this is much easier than cooking a regular soup or making our own pizza, which is already familiar to us. Moreover, contrary to the assurances of the manufacturers of household appliances, we will not need a special machine or a microwave. You need a cast iron pot with a volume of one and a half liters, or an ordinary frying pan and a gas stove. 
Most of the goodies that children cannot live without are, if not frankly harmful, then at best conditionally useful. A pleasant exception in their environment is popcorn, and in our opinion - puffed corn, which can be fried at home without much difficulty and adaptations. It turns out quite inexpensively, quickly, and most importantly - useful, because the starch with which it is rich, having received heat treatment, is easily digested.
Fried corn is also very profitable from an economic point of view. So, to fill a 4-liter container with fragrant popcorn, you need only 100 g of corn kernels and a couple of tablespoons of any vegetable oil. This favorite delicacy of moviegoers is prepared in just a few minutes.
A bit of history
It turns out that the ancient inhabitants of Mexico, the Aztecs, knew how to make popcorn. Of course, they did not cook it in pans, which had not yet been invented at that time.
Everything was much simpler: corn grains were covered with very hot sand. The seeds could not withstand high temperatures and "exploded" from the inside. Then the sand was sifted with a sieve and delicate white "flowers" were selected. They were eaten, brought to the gods and made from them stocks. Primitive fashionistas decorated their clothes and hair with them.
Microwave or skillet?
It's as convenient as anyone. The main thing is the result, and it, that is, crispy popcorn with a salty or sweet taste, turns out to be the same.
How popcorn is made from corn can be seen at any city holiday: let someone put up a popper, that is, a machine for making this delicacy. Its principle of operation is high temperature and pressure. It works in the microwave too, and in a frying pan - in any closed vessel that can be heated enough. The main thing is that it closes well.
Special varieties are used. Cobs suitable for popcorn are quite easy to recognize: they are much smaller than regular ones, and the grains themselves are oblong in shape with a pointed top. Corn kernels are very small and much harder. This is due to the skin that envelops each of them: it is quite hard, but even it bursts, unable to withstand the pressure of water vapor.
Where do they come from in corn? From the grains themselves: in the starch-rich core there is water, which, when heated, turns into steam and looks for a way out. So he turns the corn kernels literally inside out, turning them into beautiful and tasty “flowers”.
The question arises: how to make popcorn from ordinary corn and is it possible? Of course, it’s real, and the delicacy from it turns out to be even more airy. But to cook it, you need a special unit. At home, doing this is quite problematic. Therefore, special corn is needed for popcorn. It can be found in the supermarket or in the market, so to speak, on hand.
Popcorn: cooking
What not to do without:
- without a microwave (frying pans, cast iron);
- containers for mixing ready-made fried corn;
- corn kernels;
- oils (you can use any vegetable or melted butter);
- salt (powdered sugar).
in the microwave
Microwave popcorn is quick and easy.
- We take a few corn cobs. They do not need to be washed - the sterility of the product will be ensured by high temperature.
- The grains must be pulled out of the cob.
- Pour oil into a saucepan at the rate of 4 tablespoons per 4 liter container.
- We put grains in there.
- Close the lid and send the pan to the microwave.
- When the timer goes off, take out the container filled with appetizing popcorn. It remains only to salt it or add powdered sugar - whichever you like more.
* Cookie Tips
- The number of grains per bookmark in the microwave depends on the size of the glass saucepan (special dishes for the microwave).
- We make the calculation based on the fact that 25 g after frying take up a volume of 1 liter.
If the power of the microwave oven is 800W, the popcorn will cook in just 4 minutes.
Corn fried in a skillet
Finally - about how to fry corn in the absence of a microwave oven.
- You need a frying pan with a thick bottom and high sides, and even better - a cast iron.
- Pour oil into it at the rate of 3 dessert spoons (if the capacity is within 1.5 liters).
- Grains - a 50-gram cup - fall asleep in a well-heated oil and immediately cover with a lid.
- If a “cannonade” began under it, that is, cracking of grains, the process is proceeding correctly. As soon as it ends, remove the pan (cast iron) from the heat.
- Carefully pour the finished roasted corn into a plate with salt or powdered sugar.
* Cookie Tips
- It is best to heat the pan over medium heat;
- It is best to mix ready and slightly cooled popcorn with salt or powder in a regular food bag.
Now we also know how popcorn is made from corn, so to speak, without leaving the stove or microwave. There is absolutely nothing complicated in the preparation of this healthy delicacy. And for it to be the most delicious, it must be shared with friends!
Popcorn has long been popular all over the world and has won the love of millions of people. This dish is a grain of a certain variety of corn, subjected to heat treatment. Due to the effect of high temperature (about 200 degrees), liquid starch inside the grain explodes its shell, forming a foamy bulk mass, which instantly solidifies. The calorie content of “pure” corn without additives is 300 kcal per 100 g, and with the inclusion of additional ingredients, it can reach up to 500 kcal.
This airy delicacy is immediately associated with relaxing in the park or going to the cinema. But often not entirely useful components are added to its composition, so many began to cook popcorn at home on their own. It is very simple and fast, and most importantly - harmless. Consider step by step and with a photo how to make popcorn at home in several ways.
The benefits and harms of popcorn
Popped corn without third-party additives and spices is relatively low in calories, but at the same time very nutritious. It contains vitamins of group B, which help to maintain body tissues in good shape, and also have a beneficial effect on the condition of nails and hair. When eating fried corn grains, metabolism and heart function are normalized.
The product is rich in potassium, calcium and vegetable fiber, the benefits of which are to cleanse the intestines and fight extra pounds.
Unfortunately, in many outlets, popcorn is prepared with an abundance of flavor enhancers and other foreign substances that can harm the body. No matter how tasty such a delicacy is, you should not abuse it and absorb it in large portions. It is recommended to eat this yummy no more than 2-3 times a week and always on a full stomach.
Corn selection
Not all varieties of grains are suitable for cooking airy treats. Corn for popcorn should preferably be from wild-growing uncultivated varieties, where the kernels have a strong shell that can withstand exposure to high temperatures. An ordinary culture intended for cooking will not work, as it will quickly burst without reaching the required degree of roasting. This is one of the main reasons why homemade popcorn may fail.
You can also purchase ready-made special grains for popcorn in dry form. The contents of the package are easily and quickly prepared in a microwave oven, or on a dry frying pan. You just need to follow the instructions on the pack itself.
Popcorn in a frying pan
To prepare popcorn in this way, you need only two ingredients and a minimum amount of time.
You will need:
- Large frying pan with a thick bottom and a lid (can be replaced with a saucepan);
- Corn grains - 100 g;
- Refined vegetable corn or sunflower oil - 30 ml.
The cooking scheme is very simple:
- Pour oil into a frying pan and warm it up well, reduce the flame level to a minimum. Oil can not be used at all, but the dishes must be non-stick or Teflon coated;
- Quickly spread the corn evenly in a single layer over the hot oil. This is necessary so that all the grains open and fry;
- Close the lid tightly, add gas and wait. After a while, pops from bursting grains will begin to be heard. They can be very strong, so you may have to hold on to the lid to keep our popcorn from popping and spilling onto the stove;
- When the frequency of pops decreases, you need to gently shake the pan without opening the lid;
- After the mixing process, remove the corn from the flame and leave to cool for 10 minutes under the lid. During this time, the remaining grains should open in the hot oil. After this time, open the lid. The popcorn in the pan should be ready. The product should be consumed completely cold.
If you like salty popcorn, then immediately after removing the lid, sprinkle the corn with finely granulated salt, but ordinary or iodized salt can also be used. A sweet version can be obtained by sprinkling a hot treat with powdered sugar, which can also be additionally flavored with cinnamon or vanilla.
Popcorn in the microwave
This method is particularly simple, so microwave popcorn is an ideal option for quickly preparing your favorite treat for a home movie show.
You will need:
- Container or glassware with lid for microwave oven;
- Corn kernels;
- Vegetable oil.
How to make popcorn:
- We lay the grains on the bottom of the container in one layer. It's best not to take too many at once. It is necessary to calculate the amount based on the fact that 25 g of corn during frying will fill a volume of 1 liter;
- Pour a little oil over the corn so that it is slightly covered with an oil film;
- Close the container tightly with a lid and send it to the microwave for 4 minutes at full power. As soon as intensive pops cease to be heard, then the product is ready. You can immediately sprinkle the treat with powdered sugar or salt, making popcorn sweet or salty, respectively.
You can also make caramel yummy. To do this, pour a glass of sugar and 30 g of high-quality butter into a small saucepan. Boil the mixture for 10 minutes on low gas, stirring regularly, at the end add two tablespoons of water and mix everything again. Pour the finished caramel in a thin stream into the popcorn and mix well.
An even simpler option is to make popcorn from prepackaged seeds. To do this, you need to carefully remove the bag, without violating the tightness and place it in the oven with the picture down. You also need to make sure that during rotation the package does not touch the inner walls of the device, otherwise some grains may not open or burn. You need to cook a yummy for three minutes at maximum power. Once the crackling stops, the product is ready.
Popcorn in a special machine
The easiest and fastest way to prepare your favorite treat is with a popcorn machine. But at the same time, this option is more expensive, and it is rarely possible to purchase the unit itself in ordinary household appliance stores. You can order it mainly in specialized online stores. In addition, it will be possible to purchase raw materials and additives for making popcorn.
Such devices differ in a variety of sizes, functions, appearance, and, accordingly, have different performance and cost. Therefore, when choosing a device, you should pay special attention to all these parameters.
To make your favorite delicacy using such a device, you just need to follow the instructions: pour a little oil and pour the right amount of grains. Additionally, flavoring and non-stick additives are added. The boiler is preheated to a high temperature, reaching about 300 degrees, under the influence of which the grains burst. In a word, everything is exactly the same as in a frying pan or in a microwave, only more automated.
But do not forget that any technique requires careful maintenance. Therefore, the apparatus must be washed after each cooking process, and each time cooking with new oil. Careful operation will help to avoid breakdowns and allow you to regularly delight yourself and loved ones with the freshest airy treat.
Video: Popcorn at home
The most companionable delicacy is 385 years old today! On January 22, 1630, English colonists in South America accepted a bag of popcorn as a gift from an Indian chief. Only two centuries later, Charlie Kritoz invented the Popper, a popcorn machine. And how about making popcorn at home and can you get better from it? We find out.
Having only once tried to cook popcorn on his own, the correspondent of the portal couldn't stop anymore. I cooked and cooked everything until I finally learned all the possible ways to make popcorn at home.
Not all corn can be popcorn
The first revelation was the fact that popcorn cannot be made from corn, which is grown and sold in Belarus. It turns out that you need a special variety that has a good “opening” (the ability to explode).
Why do corn kernels explode? The starchy tissue of corn contains bound water, which at temperatures above 200 ° C turns into steam - the shell expands, foams and bursts.
Where can I get popcorn grains?
On the shelves of Minsk shops you can find three types of grains for popcorn: those intended for the microwave, packaged in small bags and loose.
Grains for the microwave- the most expensive of all listed. But they already have certain tastes (honey, condensed milk, etc.) and special packaging for cooking.
Packaged in bags of 150 g unflavoured grains cost half as much. The package says to cook it in a pan.
The third type of grains - weighted. They are sold in shops with dried fruits. This is the cheapest option.
Master class from the correspondent
Grains for microwave cooking packed in a paper bag. It cannot be opened. You need to put this very package directly in the center of the microwave. Make sure that the bag lies with the correct side down: the package will say which side is the bottom. The manufacturer indicates the cooking time: 3 minutes at a power of 800 W in microwave mode. We set the necessary parameters, turn on the microwave and watch: first, the package swells menacingly like a bubble, then micro-explosions are heard, which are heard more and more often, and then disappear. After three minutes, there are still many unopened grains in the bag - you can put it on for another half a minute or a minute.
You, of course, are concerned about the question, what will happen if you put the bag in the microwave a second time and try to fry unopened grains? Manufacturers do not write anything about this on the packaging. It has been experimentally established: nothing terrible will happen - the grains will be safely popped. In any case, we succeeded.
But an attempt to fry popcorn for the microwave in a regular frying pan was unsuccessful. The grains opened, but because of the presence of sweet syrup, they burned, and the whole room was filled with the smell of burnt corn. The grains themselves began to taste bitter. In general, do not try again.
Attention! Since you may come across products from different manufacturers, carefully read the manufacturer's recommendations when preparing popcorn and follow the instructions on the package exactly.
Cooking popcorn in a pan took longer. First you need to add a little vegetable oil (you can melted butter). Pour the popcorn into the pan in a thin layer so that each grain warms up evenly. Cover with a lid and put on medium heat. Your next task is to observe. The grains will explode gradually; when the pops become very rare, you can remove it from the stove.
You can salt popcorn before and after cooking, but you need to add various seasonings and flavors only to ready-made popcorn. Otherwise, they will lose or change their taste and aroma.
According to my personal impression: microwave popcorn turned out to be more airy than packaged. Even in the photo you can see the difference in the size of the flakes. Here's the proof: the variety of corn matters a lot.
Large flakes come from Bulgaria (according to the information on the package), small flakes come from Argentina.
Preparing bulk popcorn in the microwave
In the microwave oven, you can cook completely ordinary grains. As we wrote above, they can be bought in packaged form and by weight.
We take a small handful of grains and place them in a glass dish for the microwave. In no case do not try to cook the whole package at once: the grains increase very much in volume. Add oil (vegetable or melted butter), mix and cover with a lid. Set to full power and cook for about 4 minutes.
If you see that there are a lot of unopened grains left, then add another half a minute (do not open the lid of the container).
How to make caramel popcorn
From ready-made popcorn, you can cook a wide variety of goodies. For example, on the Internet, we met this recipe:
“We take half a cup of brown sugar, half a cup of butter and 100 grams of ready-made unsalted popcorn. Beat the sugar with the melted butter until the mixture brightens and increases in size. Then pour the popcorn into a baking dish and mix with the whipped mixture. Bake at 180 degrees for about 8 minutes (until crisp).
Can popcorn get better?
Whether popcorn is good or bad is still being debated. One thing is true: if you eat tons of it every day, then you should not expect anything good. But still, this option is better than all sorts of chips and snacks, after all, popcorn is a whole grain.
Popcorn is criticized for its high calorie content. But this applies to popcorn cooked in special machines. Homemade popcorn is low in calories.
We look at the packaging of microwave popcorn with the taste of condensed milk and are horrified: energy value 500 kcal(proteins 8 g, fats 27 g, carbohydrates 60 g). Apparently, the reason for such a high calorie content is sweet syrup.
We take a package with ordinary popcorn: energy value of only some 99.6 Kcal(proteins - 3.2 g, fats 1.2, carbohydrates 19).
Conclusion: if you want to get a dietary product, prepare popcorn from pure grain (without flavoring additives) and do not add sugar or syrup to the finished product.
100 g of grains is enough for a large deep bowl of popcorn.
P.S. Popcorn is best consumed by a large company under an interesting spectacle. Gather your friends to watch a football match, prepare a huge bowl of popcorn and enjoy watching.
Olga Artishevskaya
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