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Coconut Curry Caramel Corn
This recipe for Coconut Curry Caramel Corn is a surprisingly easy weekend treat. It will fill that sweet & salty place in your heart with candied peanuts and a soft zing of spices. Lightly adapted from Susan Feniger’s Street Food.
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 28 minutes
Servings 10 cups
Calories 365 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2/3 cup popcorn kernels
- 1 cup Planter’s Salted Caramel Peanuts* or honey roasted peanuts
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup light or dark corn syrup
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Liberally coat a large glass or aluminum mixing bowl with cooking spray.
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Spread coconut in a single layer on a sheet pan and toast it in the oven, stirring once or twice, until golden and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool, leaving oven on.
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Meanwhile, add oil and corn kernels to a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Cover and shake the pot occasionally until the popping begins, about 3 minutes. Once the popping starts, shake the pot continuously until the popping slows dramatically, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and continue shaking until the popping stops entirely. Dump the popcorn into your prepared mixing bowl. Add toasted coconut and peanuts.
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Liberally coat a rubber spatula, wooden spoon, and a large sheet pan with cooking spray. Combine salt, baking soda, and all your spices into a small bowl and set aside.
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In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Heat over medium-high, stirring occasionally with the prepared spatula, until the butter is melted. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and becomes foamy. It is ready when the bubbles get noticeably larger and slower. Add in your spice mixture and stir quickly to incorporate. Immediately pour the hot caramel over the popcorn mixture. Stir with the prepared wooden spoon until the popcorn is evenly coated.
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Pour the popcorn onto your prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes to keep from burning. Remove from oven and let popcorn cool to room temperature. It will get crispier as it cools. Serve immediately or store in an airtight bag or container for up to 4 days.