Every Hawaii local knows and loves Hurricane Popcorn. You can buy it online, at stores in Hawaii, or make it at home. Super simple: popcorn, furikake, and kakimochi.
I only see Jee in person a few times a year. But! We chat daily, mostly about what we’re eating, what we’re going to eat, and what we made for dinner. Our chats get really interesting when I’m home in Hawaii for long periods of time…that’s when I realize all the local foods/snacks we eat are not at all common or regular. Like Hurricane Popcorn!
What is Hurricane Popcorn?
Jee: What’s hurricane popcorn. And don’t be like, “you don’t know about hurricane popcorn?!”
Kathy: Wait. You really don’t know what hurricane popcorn is???
Jee: No
Kathy: Omg
Jee: Omg
And so, this post is for you, Jee…
It’s not complicated. It’s just popcorn, hot and fresh. Tossed with melted butter. And lots of furikake. And kakimochi (which also goes by the name "arare" and "mochi crunch"). It looks like a hurricane. A Hawaiian hurricane heheh.
There’s no real recipe to this. Add more or less of what you like. I love it with a TON of furikake. I want every popcorn piece covered in furikake. Some people like it only with a tiny bit of furikake. But the thing is, most people don’t make this “from scratch.” Usually go you one of two ways…
Where to Get Hurricane Popcorn
Where to Get Hurricane PopcornFyi, I’ve included affiliate links below. I may earn a small commission (at no cost to you), if you purchase through the links.
Method One. Buy it from Carousel Candyland in Kahala Mall. They make the best hurricane popcorn on Oahu (it’s listed on the popcorn menu as, “Furikake – Mochi Crunch Popcorn”). They also make a bunch of other flavors, but it’s the hurricane popcorn that you want. I usually get the medium bag which I demolish for lunch. It keeps for 2-3 days but you’ll finish it sooner than that. I love how they use heart-shaped kakimochi!
Method Two. Get the Hawaiian Hurricane Popcorn mix. This is the most popular brand (you can find this at all the local supermarkets in Hawaii and even Costco which is where I took the photo above). It’s a super easy DIY mix with everything you need.
My Hurricane Popcorn Pick:
This box includes a 4-pack of Hawaiian Hurricane Popcorn. Easy to prepare. Microwave the popcorn, and toss with the buttery sauce and furikake-kakimochi packet. Enjoy! We always keep a box of this at home for when people visit, everyone loves Hawaiian Hurricane Popcorn ^_^
Hawaiian Hurricane Popcorn
Hurricane Popcorn Recipe
But if you want to make it on your own (which might come in handy if you're not in Hawaii haha), check out the recipe below. Other notes to keep in mind:
- If you make it at home, get the Tomoe Arare kakimochi. For some reason their kakimochi is shinier and smoother than the other brands. You want this look/texture for your hurricane popcorn.
- Some people like to add a splash of shoyu/soy sauce to their melted butter. Give it a try and compare!
Hurricane Popcorn
This is a local Hawaii snack that can be made in 10 minutes or less. Perfect for gatherings and afternoon treats.
Ingredients
- 1 bag of plain microwave popcorn
- 3 tablespoons clarified butter (or ghee), melted
- ⅓ cup Furikake
- 1 cup Kakimochi (also called Mochi Crunch)
Instructions
- Pop the popcorn in the microwave.
- Pour the popcorn into a big bowl that has lots of room for stirring/mixing.
- Drizzle the melted butter all over. Make sure to keep stirring the popcorn around as you drizzle. This is to make sure the butter is evenly distributed.
- Use one hand to sprinkle in the furikake, while stirring/shaking the popcorn around with your other hand
- Pour in the kakimochi and give the whole bowl one more mix. Enjoy! It's onolicious ^_^
Notes
- This is a flexible recipe. Feel free to play around and use more/less butter, furikake, and kakimochi. It's all about personal preference and there is no way to do it "wrong."
- You can be fancy and make popcorn over the stove which I like to do for special occasions. But using a microwave popcorn makes the most sense for this snack.
- If you plan to take the popcorn to-go (perfect for car rides or a day at the beach), pour and mix the popcorn with butter, furikake, and kakimochi in a large bag/container and take it to-go.
Hi Brent! Hope all is well, and thanks so much for reading ^_^ Good point, appreciate the suggestion. Will make the update!
- Kathy
Thanks for the recipe - best to use clarified butter for the popcorn, non-clarified butter tends to make the popcorn soggy because the water still in it.
Excited to see this blog - appreciate the articles you wrote for Serious Eats way back when!