SPICY, SALTY, SWEET POPCORN

SPICY, SALTY, SWEET POPCORN image

Yield 14 cups

Number Of Ingredients 6

13 cups freshly popped popcorn (made from 1/2 cup popcorn kernels and 2 Tbsp oil)
1 1/2 cups shelled, salted pistachios
1/2 cup chopped dried papaya
2 cups sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp chopped crystallized ginger

Steps:

Preheat oven to 300F. Lightly butter a large baking sheet with sides; spread popcorn, pistachios and papaya on sheet. Keep warm in oven. Meanwhile, heat sugar in a dry 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring with a fork to heat sugar evenly, until it starts to melt, then stop stirring and cook, swirling skillet occasionally so sugar melts evenly, until it is medium amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in pepper flakes and ginger. Drizzle sugar mixture evenly over popcorn; toss with a spoon. Bake for 15 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes. Cool on baking sheet; cool and store in a covered container at room temperature up to 4 days.