Vampire Popcorn

 Technically, it's Vampire (proof) Popcorn.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup popcorn kernels (use the freshest you can get, check the date on the packaging.)

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup.)

1 bulb of garlic

1/4 cup sweet rice flour (Mochiko.)

1/4 cup water

Granulated garlic

Cayenne

Smoked paprika

Salt

Chives

Pop popcorn with air popper, on stove in a pan with minimal oil, or in a microwave in a plain paper bag. Orville Redenbacker popcorn will yield bigger pops than Jolly Time. The fresher the popcorn, the more the moisture content in the kernel and a bigger pop for it's kind. Put popcorn in a large bowl with extra room for stirring in the other ingredients.

In a small bowl, combine the sweet rice flour with the spices. Sprinkle in what you feel like. The "sweet" part of "sweet rice" indicates that the rice was short grain, a more glutinous type. That means more sticky. Glutinous does not mean there is gluten in it. Add in the water and stir till you have a mushy paste, like peanut butter consistency. Spread the paste onto a non-stick mat or parchment paper. Wax paper does not work. If your mat is bigger than your microwave plate, you can fold a part of it under. The paste does not need to cook flat. Spread into a rectangle shape about the size of a piece of paper folded in half.

Cook for 2 minutes on high and check. If you see a lighter color in the middle, cook it for another minute. Turn the rectangle over and cook again for 2 minutes. Be careful because it will be hot. When the edges are hard, you are done cooking it. Let it cool so you can handle it.

If the dough is crispy enough, snap off little pieces. For the part that is softer, cut into small squares, about 1/2". This is to make rice crackers to add to the popcorn.

Put the cracker pieces aside. Cut the bottoms off all the cloves of garlic. Peel without crushing the garlic cloves. Slice any direction you like. You'll need at least 6 big cloves for the popcorn to taste garlicky. 

Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a small non-stick saute pan. The small size is so that the melted butter is deep enough for frying the garlic and crackers. Use a low heat so the butter doesn't brown quickly. Add the garlic and stir often so the slices cook at the same time. When evenly golden, pour the entire contents of pan over the popcorn. This makes garlic chips. Avoid over cooking because that will make it taste bitter. When cooked just right, it will be crunchy and mild. Toss the popcorn.

In the same pan, melt the rest of the butter. When all melted, fry the cracker pieces over medium low heat. When butter begins to foam, pour all the contents into the bowl of popcorn again.

Chop chives. You can mix it all in or sprinkle on the top.

The garlic chips and rice cracker bits will sink to the bottom of the bowl. I recommend dishing out the popcorn into individual containers and then dividing the yummy bits at the bottom of the bowl, just to be fair for everyone ... maybe, and so you can sneak in more bites of the cracker.

I ordered the boxes off Amazon. They hold about 1 1/4 cup of popcorn, just right as an appetizer. I ordered 1000 of the stickers and I'd be happy to mail them to you. 10 stickers for $1.50.