Homemade Savoury Popcorn
serves a big bowl of popcorn enough for two but one hungry person like myself 

Yes, I am a self-confessed savoury popcorn lover.  Like many people, I used to settle for convenient microwave popcorns in different varieties--butter, extra butter, kettle etc.  Yes, I know they are packed with chemicals which are hazardous to our health, but they were the fastest popcorn fix, I can enjoy in minutes without washing any utensil. 

However, I have been a new convert ever since I bumped into plain popcorn recipes from Epicurious and Simply Recipes!  And I never looked back.  Nothing beats freshly-popped (savoury) popcorn, drizzled with melted butter and freshly ground parmesan cheese, so so so divine!    

Some variety of flavours I have tried and loved:
olive oil + seasoned salt
salted butter + freshly ground pepper
parmesan cheese + chives
garlic powder + seasoned salt
parmesan cheese + paprika
salted butter + curry powder + parsley flakes
olive oil + nutritional yeast + sea salt (for vegans)
 
So I am dedicating this recipe to popcorn lovers, especially to my dear friend, Sheila, who enjoys salted popcorn just as much as I do.  Bon appetit!  

Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil (or any high smoke point oil)
1/3 cup of high quality popcorn kernels (I prefer white kernels)
2-Litre stainless steel pot with lid
2 tbsp of butter
Salt to taste

Procedure:
1 Heat the oil in a pot on medium high heat.

2 Put 3 or 4 popcorn kernels into the oil and cover the pot.

3 When the kernels pop, add the rest of the 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels, level them in an even layer with a spatula, cover with lid, turn off the heat and count 30 seconds. (It's fun to count out loud with kids.) This method first heats the oil to the right temperature, then waiting 30 seconds brings all of the other kernels to a near-popping temperature so that when they are put back on the heat, they all pop at about the same time.

4 Return the pot to the heat. The popcorn should begin popping soon, and all at once. Once the popping starts in earnest manner, gently shake the pot by moving it back and forth over the burner. Try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release (the popcorn will be drier and crisper). Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pot from the heat, remove the lid, and dump the popcorn immediately into a serving bowl.

5 If you are adding butter, you can easily melt it by placing the butter in the now empty, but still very hot pot.  Then pour the popcorn back to the pot to coat them evenly.

6 Sprinkle salt* to taste.

Notes: 
*If you mix the salt into the oil in the pot before popping, the salt will be well distributed throughout the popcorn.