Re: [CH] Popcorn Heat

Rich McCormack (macknet@cts.com)
Thu, 19 Nov 1998 07:45:43 -0800

Pieters, Rob (NL01) wrote:
> 
> How do you make these Hotpoppers? just pop the corn in the oil?
> Or do you put the oil on the popcorn?
> Like to know that, sound very interesting!

Not the original "peppers on popcorn" poster here, but...

I make hot, spicy popcorn by popping the corn in chile flavored oil 
and then sprinkling liberally with Via Nueva brand Pico de Gallo 
Mexican seasoning mix (ingredients: salt and mixed chile powders).
The spice mix is also good for sprinkling on homemade tostaditas 
and potatoe chips or storebought tortilla chips (non-salted).

FWIW: I make my chile flavored oil by heating a combination of corn 
oil, peanut oil and a few dashes of sesame oil to 250 - 275 degrees 
fahrenheit in a small saucepan and adding misc. dried chiles (and 
occasionaly fresh, which I cut into pieces and heat in the oil until 
thoroughly crisp) until I get the flavor and heat level I want.  As 
the chiles turn dark, I remove and add more.  Another flavorful and 
colorful addition to chile oil is dried orange zest (or fresh if 
it's heated until crisp).  I thoroughly strain the oil through a 
fine seive into another saucepan while it's still hot and then 
bottle when it cools without adding anything (dried or otherwise) 
to the bottle.  I keep it on the counter by my stove and it's not 
killed me yet.  

If it seemed necessary to add a chile to the bottle for some reason, 
I'd slit dried chiles down their length to make sure hot oil get's 
inside and add 'em to the oil while it was still at least 250 degrees 
and maintain that heat level for another 10 or 15 minutes.  Then, 
I'd drop one or two in each bottle when bottling the cooled oil.

 
-- 
Rich McCormack (Poway, CA) macknet@cts.com

Who is Rich McCormack?  Find out at...
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