I’m don’t have a cool party trick. I’m not double jointed. I’m not a gymnast or former cheerleader. I can’t curse in Russian. I never could do one of those beer funnel things. My tap dancing skills really need some work (mostly because I never had them in the first place). I can play a few jazz tunes on the piano, but that always ends up being more embarrassing than impressive.
In the absence of a party trick there is this: Roy Choi’s Furikake Kettle Corn. Praise the Lord above. This is SO FOR REAL GOOD.
There’s a lot we need to talk about. I know that I’ve mentioned the work ‘furikake’ like it ain’t no thing and you might be like.. um, WHAT!?
Furikake is a sweet and savory Japanese spicy that is meant to be sprinkled over white rice. In furikake you’ll find, dried fish flakes (bonito), seaweed bits, sesame seeds, sugar, salt, and (in the case of my furikake) wasabi. It’s a magic seasoning that encompasses every sweet, salty, savory, and umami desire. Find Wasabi Furikake (with fish flakes) here. Find Furikake (without fish flakes) here.
To our kettle corn we also add Corn Pops (YES a cold cereal), finely chopped bacon (burnt is best), finely chopped dried pineapple, red pepper flakes, chives, and browned butter.
Should I step back a bit and let that sink in. Those are some crazy flavor combinations.
This recipe comes from Roy Choi, the god-father of the food truck movement in Los Angeles. This magic popcorn is served at his restaurant A-Frame in LA. Happy Hour, get to it!
This recipe is non-negotiable.
First non-negotiable: you must make it. I know I’m bossy, but don’t fight me on this one.
Second non-negotiable: all of the listed ingredients must make their way into this oh-my-gosh-AMAZING popcorn concoction. You can’t substitute kale for furikake, margarine for butter, air for dried pineapple, or corn flakes for corn pops. Everything in the bowl! Every little bit. This recipe is exactly right.
I didn’t add a tremendous amount of sugar to my kettle corn. It’s mostly popcorn. Not too sweet.
Crisp bacon and dried pineapple are chopped extra-fine.
Into a large bowl with the Corn Pops!
Bacon and pineapple, too!
Furikake, red pepper flakes, chives, and butter are tossed together in the popcorn.
Don’t taste it yet… if you go in now, you’ll never ever stop.
Once in a serving bowl I add a good dose (like a really good dose) of Furikake, chili flakes, cayenne pepper, and chives. The popcorn should be inundated with toppings, sweet and salty.
It’s hard for me to properly articulate how intriguing and unstoppable this popcorn mixture is. The ingredients are a bit unusual, but once you get your hands on them you’ll have a party trick from here until your partying days are over. It really is that wondrous!
PrintRoy Choi’s Furikake Kettle Corn
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
- Total Time: 0 hours
Description
Roy Choi’s infamous Kettle Corn served a A-Frame Restaurant in Los Angeles.
Ingredients
For the Kettle Corn
- 3 tablespoon canola oil
- 1/4 cup corn kernels
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- salt to taste
For the Mix
- 4 heaping cups kettle corn
- 1 cup Corn Pops (the cold cereal)
- 2 tablespoons furikake, plus more for topping if desired
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped dried pineapple
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped crisp bacon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and browned
- 2 tablespoons minced chives
Instructions
- To make the kettle corn, in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the corn kernels and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place the lid over the pan, keeping the lid slightly ajar.
- Allow popcorn to begin popping. Once or twice, cover the pan completely, and use pot holders to lift the pan and shake it. When popping slows, remove from heat and sprinkle lightly with salt. Shake into a large bowl.
- Add Corn Pops, furikake, red pepper flakes, pinch of cayenne, diced pineapple, and diced bacon. Drizzle the melted butter over the mixture and toss to combine. Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle with more furikake and minced chives.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: serves 4
Veggiegal
I’ll replace bacon with smoked, dried coconut flakes and if that doesn’t work, I’ll use my shiitake bacon. Thanks! I like everything about this recipe–sans bacon.
joythebaker
sounds good!
Haley Musial
You had me at Roy Choi……. :) Going to check out his new place Local in Watts this weekend… STOKED! https://www.welocol.com
joybee83
Sounds like a bit of work but well worth it. This is the ultimate munchy food. Pinning.
carolyngracebeaumont
I made this for an appetizer party last night and it was a huge hit. So delicious and I am definitely no longer worried about using up the extra 3/4 of a box of corn pops in my cupboard now. I was a bit worried about how it would work, but it was great!
Kim Huston
How about a faux bacon substitute like Morning Star Breakfast Strips? Do you think it would be just as good? I don’t eat meat but this looks addicting!
madisonsheffield
Made this for a movie night tonight and I cannot exaggerate how good it was. Four people with very different tastes and preferences in food scrabbled over the last bits left in the bowl and nobody could stop talking about how amazing and addictive it was. Recipe requests came in immediately. This is one to keep in the back pocket for sure!
LaDotyK
I wanted to like this so much, and it was pretty good, but it didn’t change my world. Maybe it could never live up to my expectations after reading Joy’s gushing praise. My biggest problem was that the toppings kept slipping to the bottom no matter how much I tried to stir it up so that there was very little flavor on the actual popcorn. Is there a trick to keep the toppings distributed?
Lynn @ The Actor's Diet
When I went to A-Frame our neighbors ordered this; I hoped they would offer us some but none was, no matter how many times I kept saying, “THAT LOOKS INCREDIBLE.” I acted a fool; and now I can make this at home! Tonight we’re going to his Commissary Restaurant, where there are also communal tables. I’ll try not to be annoying to my tablemates again.
Paola Holthausen
OMG when I saw the picture I really wanted to make it. I did today and both my hubby and I were licking our fingers. It’s crazy how good and addictive it is.
Shana Trahan
I think I’ll stick to your original sweet kettle corn for my brother’s engagement party. Along with your pear crumble coffee cake :D Because I love him.
alanafixfeastflair
THIS IS SOOOO WONDERFUL. Have you heard of hurricane popcorn? It’s similar: think furikake, butter, and arare (rice crackers with soy sauce). But this. THIS is next level and I am so tempted to make it right now but then I know I won’t be making dinner tonight (read: will eat all of it in one sitting/standing). Thank you so much for sharing this, Joy!!
Ann
furikake with popcorn is a decades old Hawaii tradition. At the movie theaters here you can get popcorn with furikake and Japanese rice crackers. Sorry, but give credit where credit is due, Roy Choi did NOT invent this combo. Also, don’t forget Hawaiian Hurricane brand of popcorn both microwave styled and pre popped.
atasteofmadess
This looks amazing! I am all for kettle corn!
Ami@NaiveCookCooks
Joy, this popcorn sounds so dreamy but one question!! I know skipping any ingredient is not allowed (Bossy!! ;)) but I don’t like bacon. Do you think I can get away with skipping bacon?
Aura
Hello Joy! First, I have to say I am a big fan of your recipes.. You nail every single one most of the times.. Actually I am so confident of your recipes that I just go for them without thinking (and pretty muc I am big hit with fam and friends thanks to you!!!.. So big thanks for that!) so when I read this one I just thought: wow this is it!! Since you published it I have been rushing around all over town getting all in greediness so I could make this recipe exactly as you said! Well, I made it tonight… First, it does tastes pretty good … But (everything has a but right?)… This is the first time I disagree with proportions in one of your recipes… Butter is way too much. Too heavy, and I would eliminate the pepper flakes! The furikake is enough condiment for this (in my humble opinion)!thr pineapple didn’t have to be there.. Actually I found it quite annoying.
Anyway, didn’t want to be the grinch but I did want to give you my honest opinion of this recipe!
Thank you for making such creative and yummy food! I always look forward to prepare your inventions!
Aura
Aura
Ps, Sorry for the spelling horrors! That happens when you trust Siri and don’t check before send Hah! Anyway, ingredients! (No in greediness ????)
Lei
OMG furikake is a staple popcorn topping in Hawaii.! If you’ve never heard of li hing mui powder, we put that on our popcorn too and it’s great.
mariah
Now, can I use pretzels instead of popcorn, and Froot Loops instead of pineapple? ;)
Just kidding, just kidding, just kidding!
AG
Anything I can sub if I’m really opposed to using corn pops?
The Queen of Dreaming
yummy!!
https://justsem.wordpress.com/
Amy
So I wonder if I can sneak a bag of this into the movie theater next time I go…
H
I know you said to follow exactly as directed, but someone can’t eat butter (the worst, I know), is margarine okay?
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures
Brining good food to a party is a very important party trick!
Nat
OK this is GENIUS! (and we’ve added it to our Friday Faves round up on the blog tomorrow because we’ve gooootttt to share)
haileyedancer
I want to go to there. So creative. Popcorn and cereal? GENIUS!
Jocelyn
WOW – I need to try this. Is the fish-flake version really fishy? I don’t have an allergy and I enjoy fish regularly, just wondering if I should buy that one or use the fish-flake free – does it make a huge difference? Also, taking out the bacon, still good (only because I’m vegetarian)? Thanks Joy. You’re my all-time favourite foodie, love everything you do!
erinmadethis
Wow. So much going on here. But bacon and pineapple? Yes please!
carla
This recipe brings back memories of a very similar popcorn in Hawaii. When I was a teenager we used to sneak in some of the ingredients when going to the movies so that we could sprinkle them on top of the theater popcorn. So good!
joythebaker
this is totally a hawaiian situation!!
molly yeh
THIS IS GENIUS. big furikake fan up in here. if i’d known it was this easy to enjoy furikake (bc sometimes i am just that lazy that making rice is… too much… *oy*), i’d probably be buying it in bulk at this point. totally making this next movie night!!!!
joythebaker
you must you must!
Kendra
Welp. Now everything I’ve put into my body today feels like empty calories because none of them were THIS. Do you realize you just CREATED a craving all of us didn’t even realize we even had? Flavor goddess.
but i'm hungry
Wait, what. What the what. I don’t know about this. But I kinda do know, and I want it. I might be confused about how much I want this, but I’m going to roll with it.
joythebaker
it’s challenging but in the end…. WHOA!
Amy
For a sec, I thought they’d changed Corn Pops. Turns out that despite both being made by Kellogs, they look different in Canada! Our Corn Pops look like American Kix.
Lindsey
These types of recipes + your personality = why I read this blog.
Priya
WOW.
I feel like this WIERD thing is going to change my life, like peanut butter and pickles did a few months ago. In a ‘how can something that sounds so WRONG be so RIGHT?!
And anyone know if you can get corn pops or equivalent in England?
Ta!
Taylor
oh my goshness, YES!!! I am SO making this! You had me at corn pops.
xoxo
Taylor
sundiegoeats
Howww does this work? It seems like it would be magical or terrible when all eaten together. Straight up witchcraft I tell you.
Mary @ The Kitchen Paper
Oh. My. God. I am in LOVE with furikake, so this sounds freaking amazing! This is totally your party trick! Can you come to a party at my house {with popcorn, obviously}?
Melissa King
You’re right, I’d eat this entire bowl. Holy crap that sounds amazing!
Maude
This is too weird not to be good. Gotta try it.
However… by “Corn Pops”, do you mean the Kellogg’s cereal (sweet), or the fried/not really popped corn snacks (salty)? In the picture it doesn’t look like either… but I bet it would make a huge difference.
Jean
those are the new, improved “corn pops”, just like the old ones, but squashed.
karen w.
how long does this keep for? looks like it would be a great Christmas gift in cute jars
joythebaker
well it has bacon so I’m not sure this would be the best for gifts.
Sharana at Living The Sweet Life Blog
Sounds like the perfect mix of sweet & salty — yumm!
Nicolette
I like how it says it “serves four”.
Lol. Like I’d share this. ;)
Jaimie
Totally a local recipe in hawaii but with popcorn, furikake, and kakimochi (mochi crunch). Yum yum! But love the cornpop idea! And everythinh is better with bacon!
Gemma
Joy! I love you but this looks like an April Fool. :) Bacon! Pineapple! Seaweed! No.
joythebaker
but YES tho.
tracy shutterbean
totes yes.
Gemma
Ha! :)
stephyharrison07
Sounds like an interesting combination! The Corn Pops were definitely unexpected!
Sonja
Digging the jazz piano! I’d love to hear:). I love jazz harmonies!! I bet you’ve heard some good jazz and dixie land down there, too!
Jen @ Marshmallows and Margaritas
This looks intriguing! Thank you for providing a fish flake-free version of furikake, too. I am extremely allergic to fish, and therefore end up avoiding most Asian cuisine for fear of hidden fish sauce/fish flakes/etc. I read “fish flakes” and thought I would have to avoid this, too, but it looks like there is hope for me yet!
Sandee
I just so happen to have furikake languishing in my pantry! This looks so dangerously good!
joythebaker
i think you’ll really like it!
Paula
Ohhh sweet Christmas, Joy, this recipe is as though you put my tastebuds under a microscope and designed a snack accordingly. I am making this for my next party — and then eating half the batch myself before the party starts, and scurrying to make a second batch so I can pretend it never happened.
Reins
OMG yesssss. I grew up in Japan; according to my parents I was the worst about sneaking under the table in-between meals and snacking on furikake. Can’t wait to try this, thank you!
Megan @ amacaday.com
This is sooooo random but I believe somehow it works! I love people who have a vision for things that may just go together. Can I be a spelling/grammer snob and tell you the first word of this post should probably be “I”, and that furikake is a spice not a spicy, and maybe a question mark at the end of “Should I let that sink in”. I mean it it the most polite way possible :-) I won’t even be offended if you don’t let this comment make it to your comment wall :-)
dessertfortwo
Ahhh! We’re on the same wavelength. I just got his cookbook (LA, Son), and I’m devouring it! I want to make ramen all night. And all the things, basically. But this popcorn for happy hour this week? Um YES.
joythebaker
he really has an innovative food brain!
kim
this is the craziest BEST thing i’ve ever heard!!!! Cant wait to try it-and, yes, will make it EXACTLY as directed. fun! thanks for the beautiful photos, love your table and the little bowl with the chili flakes.