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    Home » Recipes » Sesame

    Hurricane Popcorn

    Jul 22, 2018 · 6 Comments

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    Hurricane popcorn is a snack typically found in Hawai’i. It’s full of popcorn, crunchy arare (Japanese rice crackers) and furikake (Japanese seaweed seasoning).

    It's crispy, buttery and so addictive that you could polish off a batch by yourself!

    Ingredients

    The first ingredient you need is popcorn. Popcorn kernels are pretty cheap and easy to pop, so I would recommend popping your own.

    Otherwise, if you buy pre-popped popcorn, it can be hard to tell when it was popped, and you might end up with stale popcorn.

    Maybe the idea of popping your own corn is too intimidating. Instead, you could also pick up a pack of microwaveable popcorn.

    I’d opt for something without butter/margarine or seasoning, since you’ll be adding your own later on.

    (Not sure what to do with the rest of the popcorn? How about strawberry flavored popcorn?).

    Hurricane popcorn is best served right after it's mixed, so that the popcorn stays crisp and the arake (rice crackers) stay crunchy. #furikake #popcorn #snackideas #hawaiian

    The toppings, arare and furikake, might require a trip to a Japanese or Chinese supermarket.

    Arare are Japanese rice crackers made with glutinous rice flour. Instead of being chewy like butter mochi or tōng yùhn, which also use glutinous rice flour, these crackers are super hard and crunchy.

    You might be able to find mochi rice nuggets at Trader Joe’s near the other crackers and chips (not sure if all stores carry them), but they would be a good substitute for anyone without other options for rice crackers.

    Furikake is a dry seasoning mix typically sprinkled onto rice, whether it be plain, in Spam musubi, or on top of onigiri. Furikake at its most basic has roasted and finely shredded seaweed mixed with sesame seeds.

    Some versions include everything from ume (salted plum) to dried salmon to egg yolk. My usual go to has bonito (dried fish) flakes, which add a savory saltiness that I love.

    You can find furikake in Japanese, Korean and Chinese grocery stores near the seasonings and/or the dried seaweed section. You might also have luck finding it at other grocery stores, depending on how well stocked they are.

    In case you need a starting point, here are the products I typically use.

    These are some of the brands of arare (rice crackers) and furikake (seaweed seasoning) when I make hurricane popcorn. #furikake #popcorn #snackideas #hawaiian

    Substitutes

    I live in an Asian grocery store bubble, and definitely take the availability of Asian groceries and ingredients for granted. So, in case you live in a different kind of environment and can’t get these ingredients shipped to you, here are some alternative ingredients if you can’t get your hands on the right things.

    Furikake

    If you really had to, you could make your own furikake (this step would make the recipe take considerably longer, so I might suggest waiting until you can get your hands on a bottle before making this).

    I’d start with unseasoned nori (dried and roasted seaweed) and shred that with a pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp knife into small rectangles. Mix with sesame seeds and a bit of salt, and you have DIY furikake!

    Arare

    If you can’t find arare, another kind of crunchy and salty cracker could work. They tend to be on the hard side (in a good way!), so anything similar to that would be a good substitute.

    My favorite kind of arare to use in hurricane popcorn are glossy and flavored with soy sauce and a little sugar.

    For anyone using a cracker without those vibes, you could add a little soy sauce and sugar along with the butter into your popcorn. Speaking of which, that makes me think of furikake chex mix, another family favorite snack that depends on furikake for its flavor.

    Try hurricane popcorn, a Hawaiian snack with Japanese seaweed and rice crackers. It's the perfect snack for those who love something a little crispy, a little crunchy. #furikake #popcorn #snackideas #hawaiian

    How to Make

    First step: pop some popcorn.

    I typically use a hot air popper, which is nice because it’s a lot less likely to burn the popcorn, and you don’t need to add any oil to prevent it from sticking to the pot.

    The one I have is a pretty simple model, where you dump the kernels into a chamber, turn on the machine, and have a bowl below the spout to catch the popcorn. No watching is necessary.

    That being said, you could use any pot you have on hand. A nonstick pot is nice because you don’t need to add any oil, but you could also add a tablespoon or so of oil to the pot before you pop the corn if it’s not nonstick.

    If you use a pot, I would recommend shaking the pan around frequently and keeping an eye (and nose) out to make sure the popcorn does not burn.

    Another tip: usually the popcorn will stop making popping noises when all the bits that are going to pop have popped. There will inevitably be a few pieces that are too stubborn to emerge from their hard shells, so it’s fine if that happens.

    A few leftover popcorn kernels is more worth it than 100% popped but semi-burnt kernels.

    Once the popcorn is done, the rest of the recipe is basically assembly.

    Mix together the popcorn and arare together in a big bowl. Drizzle some melted butter over and toss to coat.

    Sprinkle the furikake and some salt on top a little at a time, tossing as you stir to make sure the furikake doesn’t clump together on only part of the popcorn. This is easiest with a friend or someone to help you, although you can definitely do it alone with a bit of coordination and patience.

    Drizzle the melted butter all over the popcorn and arare (rice crackers) so that the furikake sticks and you have a well-coated, evenly mixed hurricane popcorn. #furikake #popcorn #snackideas #hawaiian

    Storage

    Since the water in the butter makes the popcorn and arare a little soggy if you let it sit too long, I wouldn’t recommend making this too far in advance.

    Popping the popcorn is the longest step of this recipe, so you can pop it up to a day in advance  and store it in an airtight container so it doesn’t get stale. On the day of, mix in everything else.

    5 from 4 votes
    Pot full of popcorn topped with crispy golden brown crackers and dark green furikake.
    Print
    Hurricane Popcorn
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    10 mins
    Total Time
    15 mins
     
    Hurricane popcorn, or seasoned popcorn with shredded seaweed bits and rice crackers, is the perfect savory popcorn to munch on when you're tired of the usual butter and salt.
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: Fusion, Hawaiian, Japanese
    Keyword: arare, butter, crackers, egg-free, furikake, hawaiian, japanese, nut-free, popcorn, rice crackers, seaweed, sesame seeds, vegetarian
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 173 kcal
    Ingredients
    • ½ cup popcorn kernels
    • 4 ounces arare
    • ½ stick unsalted butter melted
    • ¼ cup furikake
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    Instructions
    1. Pop the popcorn. I like using an air popper because you can set it and forget it. You can also use a (very) non-stick pot. Add the kernels, cover the pot and let them pop over medium heat until the popping subsides.
    2. Add the arare to the popcorn, drizzle the butter on top and sprinkle the furikake and salt over everything. Cover the pot and shake until the popcorn and arare are well-coated. Serve immediately.
    Recipe Notes

    Serve this immediately. The popcorn and ararake start to get soggy pretty quickly. I don't recommend serving this more than a few hours after you mix it- you can try to re-toast it (ie in a low oven), but it's not the same as when you mix it right away.

    If your furikake isn’t salty, add more salt to compensate.

    More Sesame Recipes

    • Black Sesame Mochi
    • Furikake Chex Mix
    • Toasted Black Sesame Latte
    • Peanut Tofu Rice Bowls with Sesame Eggplant

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kim Lange says

      July 23, 2018 at 8:33 am

      That sounds so different and amazing!! YUM! Love the spin!5 stars

      Reply
    2. Abbe@This is How I Cook says

      July 25, 2018 at 4:19 pm

      I would love this salty snack! Like all the time! And with a movie would find me eating the whole batch!5 stars

      Reply
    3. GiGi Eats says

      July 27, 2018 at 6:37 am

      I love the name for this popcorn! And it also looks insanely flavorful! Definitely not something you'd see at a movie theater, only another reason to watch movies at home 😉5 stars

      Reply
    4. Susana says

      July 29, 2018 at 3:18 pm

      Wow! this is something I've never seen before. I'm a popcorn lover but regular ones. Home made with salt. Sometimes that's what I have for dinner when I'm lazy to cook (not sure if that's a good dinner). But this is different for sure!5 stars

      Reply
    5. Shanese says

      September 11, 2020 at 7:08 pm

      Oooh this sounds really good! Especially with the furikake~ Thanks for sharing the recipe!
      I've found that if you use melted Ghee instead of regular melted butter, it doesn't make the popcorn soggy.

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 11, 2020 at 10:24 pm

        oh that's such a smart move (and makes so much sense!). i don't use ghee much but will definitely have to test that out next time i make this (: thanks for the tip!

        Reply

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