Sesame and Nori Popcorn

I love popcorn. In fact, microwave popcorn made it on my “last meal” list (since it would be my last meal, I won’t have to worry about microwave popcorn being bad for me). If it were up to me, I’d probably have popcorn for dinner most nights, and I’ve been known to suggest it. Luckily I have a husband who likes to eat a bit more than mere popcorn for dinner!

When you’re in a mood for a bowl of fluffy, crunchy popcorn as a snack (or dinner – no judgment here), whip up a batch of sesame and nori popcorn. It’s a little different than same-old, same-old popcorn and doesn’t require ingredients that are too hard to come by.

I included chopped up nori snacks to this crunchy mix. If you’re new to nori, it’s dried and edible seaweed — the same kind usually used for sushi. If nori isn’t a staple in your house, look for it the next time you’re at the grocery store. They make great snacks on their own (a tiny bit salty, crunchy, and good for you) and they can jazz up popcorn, too!

The nice part about this recipe for sesame and nori popcorn is that you can change things up as you’d like. No peanuts on hand? Leave them out. Try tossing in a few pretzel sticks or pieces of Melba toast. Shake in some ginger, a bit of black pepper or another favorite spice.

Keep a napkin on hand when you’re munching on sesame and nori popcorn, and dig in during movie time or when you’re sitting around reading a good book or a few favorite magazines.

Recipe for Sesame and Nori Popcorn
Yields about 6 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons popping corn
• 5 nori sheets, chopped into small pieces (about 1/2-inch in size)
• 4 ounces roasted peanuts
• 1-1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Add the vegetable oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the popping corn and cover with a lid. Wait until the kernels begin to pop, and lower the heat slightly.
3. To cook, hold the lid on the pot, lift the pot off the burner, and shake it around every 15-20 seconds or so until the kernels have stopped popping. As you cook the popcorn, crack the lid just slightly once or twice to let out some steam.
4. Add the popped corn to a large bowl and toss in the nori pieces, peanuts, and sesame seeds.
5. Drizzle with the sesame oil, and toss to coat the popcorn and other ingredients.
6. Transfer the mixture to a large rimmed baking sheet and season with the salt. Place in the oven and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring it every few minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and let the popcorn to cool down before serving it.

Yields about 6 cups