[digital drifter]

   Congratulations! You have purchased an extremely fine
    device that would give you thousands of years of trouble-free
    service, except that you undoubtably will destroy it via some
    typical bonehead consumer maneuver. Which is why we ask you
    to PLEASE FOR GOD'S SAKE READ THIS OWNER'S MANUAL CAREFULLY
    BEFORE YOU UNPACK THE DEVICE. YOU ALREADY UNPACKED IT, DIDN'T
    YOU? YOU UNPACKED IT AND PLUGGED IT IN AND TURNED IT ON AND
    FIDDLED WITH THE KNOBS, AND NOW YOUR CHILD, THE SAME CHILD WHO
    ONCE SHOVED A POLISH SAUSAGE INTO YOUR VIDEOCASSETTE RECORDER
    AND SET IT ON "FAST FORWARD", THIS CHILD ALSO IS FIDDLING
    WITH THE KNOBS, RIGHT?  AND YOU'RE JUST NOW STARTING TO READ
    THE INSTRUCTIONS, RIGHT???  WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST BREAK THESE
    DEVICES RIGHT AT THE FACTORY BEFORE WE SHIP THEM OUT, YOU
    KNOW THAT?
                -- Dave Barry, "Read This First!"



So I plopped some money down to buy a microwave.  The idea being I keep getting these corn cobs, might as well shell them and make popcorn.

So I plop Rs 5000 for a microwave this Diwali.

Then I shell some corn kernels and pop it into the appliance in a plastic dish. Appliance has a setting for popcorn.

Result: blackened kernels and slightly spongy plastic tray.

ummm.....THIS microwave safe plastic is NOT suitable for high power settings. In hindsight, I can see that.


Get a porcelain plate and redo the same with a fresh set kernels

Result: more uniform blackened kernels.  Mom makes fun of me.  Wife thinks I'm illiterate and can't read the manual.  Me, I'm fuming but the kitchen *sniff,sniff* has a burnt smell.  That's the bloody corn you torched you doofus.

Go out and buy a microwave safe glass bowl with cover. Dump even more kernels and savagely turn the knobs and watch the microwave intently.

Result: steamed, blackened kernels.  Managed to scald my palm lifting the bowl cover. Bowl looks like it's been to the depths of a coal mine.  Me, I retreat after the Rs 350 purchase of the bowl.


So, how the blazes does one make popcorn?  No, i don't want to purchase that ACT II or readymade commercial popcorn packs.

[cyberhippie]

DD I'd sue if I was you, like the woman who microwaved her dog, she had apparantly always dried him in front of the oven, so thought the microwave would be just the same unfortunately the thing perhaps unsurpisingly died.. She sued on the grounds that there wasn't any reference in the owners manual about microwaving dogs.......

I wonder if this is factually true

[Hyderabadi]

digital drifter, on Nov 18 2007, 11:07 AM, said:

...........

So, how the blazes does one make popcorn? No, i don't want to purchase that ACT II or readymade commercial popcorn packs.

This really is Gautam da's subject.... and I'm sure he will elaborate more. We did many many posts on Gobindo Bhog, Basmati, Jeera Samba, etc., rice varieties on another forum. Enough probably for a Phd. thesis.

While we wait for Gautam da, here's what I found, apparently the popping corn is a particular variety:

Quote

Popcorn (Zea mays everta)

Popcorn, a type of flint corn, has a soft starchy center surrounded by a very hard exterior shell. When popcorn is heated the natural moisture inside the kernal turns to steam that builds up enough pressure for the kernal to explode. When the kernal explodes the white starchy mass that you like to eat forms. All types of corn will pop to some degree, but they won't necessarily have enough starch to turn inside out, or an outside layer that will create enough pressure to explode . One of the oldest forms of corn, evidence of popcorn from 3600 B.C. was found in New Mexico! Sing a little Popcorn Song!!

http://www2.kenyon.e...ood/corntyp.htm

[noflylist]

Ah, fresh corn on a cob, I would not want to microwave it!

[kavindra]

DD - Great purchase, as long as you do not get hooked on sniffing the pop corn smell. The buttery smell is chemically induced and has recently been found to be carcinogenic.

[digital drifter]

I know.  Like i said, I don't use commercially treated corn that is ready-to-eat when popped into the microwave. How to make popcorn with corn bought off the street? Obviously I'm not going to put the whole corncob into the appliance but only the kernels.

Do tell, if you know how.

[kavindra]

I am sorry the explanationseems a bit complicated and not too encouraging.

[iwanttogoback]

dd

generally the corn you make popcorn from is dry, not fresh.

do keep us abreast of your culinary adventures!

[priya]

DD, I can just imagine the mess you made of your micro-dishes - I hope they aren't damaged beyond repair.

Your corn has to be of the dried variety before it can be popped.  We use 'sweetcorn' here, tiny yellowish kernels that have been dried.  Our other dried corn is only used for grinding of the corn/mealie, to make meal, which I'm not sure will pop.

I've always popped on the stove-top and haven't tried the microwave.

Quote

who microwaved her dog

or that guy in the UK who microwaved his gerbil!!!  I guess these people are just a few cherries short of a fruit cake.

[dzibead]

I think only certain varieties of dried corn pop well, and while the kernels have to be dry they also have to have the right level of residual moisture to actually pop properly.  So it might be tricky to try to pop corn you buy off the street.  But if you decide to give it another shot, DD, this time try putting the dried kernels in a paper bag instead of a dish.  It shouldn't take more than 3 to 5 minutes to pop the kernels.  If it's taking longer than that, they ain't gonna pop.

Sincerely,
Your America Popcorn Consultant (it started here, you know)

[dzibead]

I grew some "strawberry popcorn" this summer, but I haven't actually tried to pop any of it yet:

http://www.anniesann...Zea_mays_SP.htm

Check this out:

http://www.visionres...i...v&flash=yes

[crvlvr]

I was going to post the Wikipedia link bit noticed that kavindra has already posted it.  Bottom, results will vary based on the type of corn  and amount of heat applied.

If you are stuck with just that one variety of corn, then I would suggest reducing the quantity of corn -- may be start with just one kernal -- setting your microwave on high and seeing if it pops. If your microwave cannot pop even one kernal, it will surely not pop any more.

[digital drifter]

Will the frozen "American Sweet corn" stuff work?  The pack is big and I don't want another dud experiment;  not to mention slightly costly and no one enjoys the thought of corn for the next few days for pansy rice eaters.

[torryquine]

Am I missing the point here?  Why do we need the microwave with all it's waste and mess when the method of a hot, heavy pan and a knob of butter is so well tested?  Dried kernels are a sure bet.  Really DD you do make a drama of such things.   

[torryquine]

But for goodness' sake, don't forget the lid.

[iwanttogoback]

i think it's the excitement of a new toy tq.

dd, do let us know how this all goes.

[digital drifter]

torryquine, on Nov 23 2007, 02:39 AM, said:

Am I missing the point here?  Why do we need the microwave with all it's waste and mess when the method of a hot, heavy pan and a knob of butter is so well tested?  Dried kernels are a sure bet.  Really DD you do make a drama of such things.   

Ahh, you mis-underestimate me.

Been there, done that.

Took my mom's Aluminium milk Sauce Pan and managed to blacken that by trying to make popcorn.

Didn't have the guts to move up to the aluminium pressure cooker.  Since that would involve major cleaning in case of mishap, which as a perennially lazy sod, I'm wont to do.  And hell hath no fury like blackening my mom's favourite vessel. and not to mention that's where my food comes from.

I'm close to tears,now.  A dud machine which has done 2 pizzas and 8 papads so far.  At least they turned out OK.

[iwanttogoback]

microwave papads - one of my faves!

somehow dd, i suspect that unless you buy corn that is specifically for popping there won't be much joy. ;(

[dzibead]

digital drifter, on Nov 22 2007, 09:19 AM, said:

Will the frozen "American Sweet corn" stuff work?

Definitely NOT!

You can only make popcorn from dried corn (that's been allowed to dry on the stalk - don't buy fresh corn and expect to be able to let it dry out and and then pop it - at best you'll get some leathery substance that won't pop at all! ) And only certain varieties will actually pop properly.  
You can't make popcorn from corn you buy on the street, i.e., the kind of fresh corn you would boil or steam!

[malkers]

Hey DD, if I were you I'd go to the local shop and buy some microwave popcorn, I think they have some called ACT 2 over there!