Air Fryer: A World of Flavour At Your Fingertips

Air fryer is practically a “plug and plays” electrical appliance and technically conventional baking and not frying in every sense of the word. It best mimics real frying in oil which uses only direct heat to cook.

The general big conception is that an air fryer only fries foods but actually is a convection oven where you have a fan that circulates the air.

Hook On Air Fryer

The moment I lay my eyes on the air fryer, I know that I am hooked! Minimal cooking skills are required and all you have to do is to put your food in after you’ve seasoned it a bit, set your timing and the heat required of that dish and you’re all set to go.

When no oil is used in air fryer cooking, therefore it produces healthier food than the deep-fried counterpart.

The oil comes naturally from the food and if you want to add a dap of oil to add colour to your food you can do so.

Even though air fryers do not cook everything nicely but they certainly consumed less oil.

My kitchen is spick and span

Stick with me, there are lots of goodies that you can fry to perfection – minus the oil and messy oily kitchen. Cleaning up is no problem and after I had cooked my fried chicken, the greasy baskets can be easily cleaned in my dishwasher. I have a whole range of different dishwashers in my Lifestyle blog here.

Now, that I am crazy about air fryer even though I can deep fry in oil but I want to teach my teenage sons the fun way to cook.

I want them to be independent and can cook up some decent meals instead of calling for food deliveries all the time while I and my wife were holidaying or going on business trips.

I have some air fryer recipes which I have not really gone through all yet because I would still like to experience for myself what can and cannot be cooked or rather fry in my air fryer.

Fried Chicken

Obviously, the first thing on my mind is fried chicken! It’s everybody’s favourite, even my cats love fried chicken.

The air fryer’s basket is rather small and common sense tells me that I do not put the chicken whole inside besides, the air will not circulate well in the nooks and corners of the chicken. The solution is to cut up the chicken into pieces.

Well, it turns out better than I thought.

It’s as good as KFC. It is the crispiest it can get. Now my sons can have KFC every day.

Now I have a secret recipe for you to fry chickens in an air fryer:

1 cup of buttermilk to marinate the chicken for one hour overnight
1 tablespoon of vinegar
2 cups of flour
2/3 tablespoon of salt
1/2 tablespoon of thyme
1/2 tablespoon of basil dried
1/3 tablespoon oregano
One tbs of celery salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp of dry mustard
4 tablespoons of paprika
2 tablespoons of garlic salt
1 tablespoon of ground ginger
3 tablespoons of white pepper
2 cups of flour
Mix the marinated chickens with 7 coats of the flour mixture with all the spices
and cook in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Turnover for all-round crispness

You’d never want to fry your chicken any other way forever.

What about burgers you might ask?

The air fryer works best on frozen food with no liquid batter and loose seasonings because these seasonings don’t stick to your food very well. Moreover, the strong wind of the fryer will dismantle all your hard work immediately and send them flying before you can count to ten!

Here’s a warning.

All the food seasonings which couldn’t stick to your food might come out while you cook.

It would be caught in your fryer’s upper and lower belly and would otherwise be difficult to wash and clean.

No chicken or pork chops or making breaded cod unless you followed the recipes correctly.

Essential Air Fryer Cookbook

Do you want to cook with your Air Fryer but don’t know where to start?

Quit worrying! In this cookbook, you’ll learn how to not only start but love, your Air Fryer, which will guide you to amazing meals in the most affordable, quick & easy way possible.

Along the way, you’ll learn to cook only the highest quality 5-ingredient Air Fryer recipes, which offer tons of scientifically proven health benefits, such as improving your appetite, cholesterol, and blood pressure and reversing diabetes.

Rest assured, you, the Air Fryer beginner, will get the healthy body you have always dreamt of!

The Essential Air Fryer Cookbook for Beginners Buy Now at Walmart

Frying Doughnuts

To my surprise, I can even make air fry doughnuts! It’s crispy on the outside and soft and moist inside. Definitely, my wife’s favourite at tea time. Move over to Dunkin, and save your sugar!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I used to take out Chinese food at my favourite restaurant in Chinatown. But one day, my wife and I have the urge of having some sweet and sour chicken for dinner. Well, we decided to test out whether our air fryer can make something as sumptuous as a sweet and sour chicken dish. Theoretically, it will work fine – chicken and sauce.

Well, it turns out great and my sons are getting a second helping and beg me to cook another day for more.

Air fried Salmon

Definitely, my all-time favourite is air fryer salmon. I loved the golden crispy outer layer and soft melt-in-your-mouth flesh inside. Matched it with some brussels sprouts and you can have a delicious meal without going to a fancy restaurant which might have cost you a bomb.

If you’re passionate to cook great food, I would like to share my LifeStyle Cookware here.

Instant Vortex Plus 10QT 7-in-1 Digital Air Fryer Oven

Multi-Use Programmable Air Fryer with Rotisserie Popular mid-size air fryer oven, 10Qt capacity
7 Built-In Smart Programs, Roast, Broil, Bake, Reheat, Dehydrate Preset Smart Programs with an option to Rotate for rotisserie-style cooking
Power: 1500 Watts

Instant Vortex Plus 10QT 7-in-1 Digital Air Fryer Oven, with Rotisserie Spit, Drip Pan, and 2 Cooking Trays, 1500W (Black/Steel) Buy Now at Walmart

Steak-Out

If check out my Lifestyle blog, I have for you my charcoal grilling cooking blog here.

Today, I will be cooking steak in my air fryer. I don’t know how it will turn out.

Before you cook anything in the fryer make sure it is preheated so that your food could be cooked in the shortest time.

Of course, you don’t put in pieces of raw steak in the basket until you go and spice up a little bit.

Depending on your preferences, I’ll just rub in some chilli powder, French herbs and some sea salt.

Medium or well-done is your choice

Now your pan is ready, I will put the seasoned steaks in the air fryer for about 6 minutes.

That will be medium rare and if you want them well done.

Roll over the steaks after the first 7 minutes, and cook it for another, say 6 minutes or so.

Voila, you have made for yourself a beautiful juicy steak minus all the charcoal burning and smoke. I never thought I could cook steaks without the fire. Well, the real test is in the tasting.

Yummy, though you cannot see me eating, at least I can make you salivate.

Cosori Premium 5.8-Quart Air Fryer

Compared with a 4-quart round basket or even smaller one, COSORI air fryer’s 5.8- Quart Square Nonstick Basket can fit a 5 lbs-6 lbs whole chicken, while a small round basket can’t.

Buy this XL 5. 8-Quart size serves your family with at least 3-5 people. – Perfect healthy gift for food-loving dads, mothers, family and friends. A slimmer footprint fits on your countertop and saves your space

Cosori Premium 5.8-Quart Air Fryer with Bonus Skewer Rack Set (Black) Buy Now at Walmart

I’m a first-time user like you

I have never used an air fryer before and I don’t have any prior experience of the use of this machine.

What I watched over the internet and the pesky salesgirl at the mall left me dazed and amazed at how this contraption could be the Machine of the twentieth century.

I want to try out a few recipes to see what it can cook and what cannot.

I don’t know how they will turn out and I’ll certainly push it to the limit.

Bread Recipe

I never baked bread before.

My kids have been nagging me to make bread since the day I bought one air fryer from the internet.

Finally, with the guidance of the manufacturer’s recipe, I am confident to go for it.

I thought banana bread would be really simple. Mash up some ripe bananas and add in all the necessary eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, all-purpose flour, baking soda, milk and a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Mix them well to a batter, then add in some raisins or chocolate chips. Now I’ll put them in the air fryer for about an hour at a temperature of 250 degrees.

You can be a Master Baker yourself

It turned out better than I had expected – it even has a crunchy crust and the inside is soft and moist.

You too can become a Master Baker of your own.

OMORC Air Fryer, 6 Quart, 1800W

This air fryer will result in 80 per cent less fat in your food as compared to traditional deep-fat fryers. 5. 5L large capacity to meet the family of 5 big 5. 5L basket provides enough capacity to cook food for a family of 5 or the main event and can fit on any countertop.

OMORC Air Fryer, 6 Quart, 1800W Fast Large Hot Air Fryers & Oilless Cooker Buy Now at Walmart

Coney Dog with ground beef sauce A&W style

Whenever I think of coney dog, I always think of the A&W Fiesty soupy beefy sauce topped up with chilli and mustard.

A netizen of mine shared with me on Instagram the recipe for making hot dogs and the all-time favourite A&W sauce.

2 tablespoons olive oil (or any vegetable cooking oil)
1 pound ground beef (85%)
1 large onion (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/6 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups of water

I remembered coney’s sauce is thin and soupy so when after I had boiled my mixture, I’ll simmer for an hour or so at reduced heat.

Sauce

Keep stirring to maintain the texture.

Once the sauce is made, I placed about 4 or 5 hot dogs in the air fryer and you can put in more if you have a bigger capacity fryer.

Remember to preheat your air fryer to 390 degrees F.

Once it is ready, cook your hot dogs for 2 minutes.

I can tell you I can eat those crispy hot dogs with beefy sauce and chilli and mustard toppings every day.

The first fryer with 2 independent baskets that let you cook 2 foods, 2 ways, at the same time; not back to back like a traditional single-basket air fryer.
DualZone™ Technology features a Smart Finish feature for cooking 2 foods in 2 ways that finish at the same time, and a Match Cook button to easily copy settings across zones for full 8-qt capacity.

Ninja Foodi 4-in-1, 8-qt., 2-Basket Air Fryer with DualZone Technology Buy Now at Walmart

Farberware 3.2 Quart Digital Air Fryer

You can now cook faster, healthier meals thanks to the Farberware 3.2 Quart Digital Oil-Less Fryer. Using Rapid Hot Air Technology, this versatile fryer can bake, grill, fry and roast dishes up to 30% faster.

It cooks food to a golden and crispy finish using little to no oil, reducing fat and calories compared to traditional frying.

This oil-less fryer features a large and easy-to-use digital touchscreen and boasts 8 preprogrammed options to take the guesswork out of cooking.

It also provides amazing flexibility with adjustable cooking times and temperatures.

The 3.2-quart food basket fits up to 2 pounds of food and, thanks to the dishwasher-safe food basket, you’ll spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying delicious meals. As an added bonus, you’ll receive a recipe book with 25 recipes.

Farberware 3.2 Quart Digital Air Fryer, Oil-Less Buy Now at Walmart

Cinnamon Roll

Feel like craving some cinnamon pastries from Auntie Anne’s? I just bought some pre-made puff pastry and decided to make some cinnamon rolls on my own.

For my fillings, I would first mix some cinnamon brown sugar and butter and spread that over the rolled-out pastry sheet.

Then rolled in the pastry sheet and cut them out in equal portions or you can twist the rolls just like Auntie Annie’s does. I love to add in some raisins and chocolate chips so that it gives more chew to your roll.

Preheat your fryer and once it is ready, put it in the fryer for 8 to 10 minutes.

Simple and easy!

Nuwave Brio 6-Quart Digital Air Fryer

6-qt air fryer with LED touchpad control panel
Temperature range from 100-400 degrees F adjustable in 5-degree increments
The digital timer is programmable for up to 100 hours
6 presets include: fries, frozen fries, nuggets, steak, poultry, fish
Pre-heat button ensures desired results every time
The reheat button automatically sets to 360 degrees F for 4 minutes
Includes 3 wattage control settings: 900, 1,500 and 1,800 watts
A Basket demounting button includes a cover for added safety
The Basket divider lets you cook different food separately
The basket and cooking rack are dishwasher safe

Nuwave Brio 6-Quart Digital Air Fryer with one-touch digital controls Buy Now at Walmart

GoWISE USA 7 Quart 1700 Watts 8-in-1 Programmable Digital Air Fryer

Digital touchscreen adjust cook times manually or use 1 of 8 built-in Smart presets: Fries/Chips, Pork, Chicken, Steak, Shrimp, Cake, Fish, and Pizza
Wide Temperature range from 180F to 400F in 10 increments and a cooking timer for up to 30 minutes
Cool-touch housing and handle make it easy to check on food mid-cycle
Featuring a new Start/Stop button that allows you to change settings in the middle of a cooking cycle
An alarm function in 5, 10, and 15-minute increments
The included basket and pan make it easier to move food from the fryer without the mess of crumbs or natural oil
The basket and pan are coated with PFOA free nonstick material
Capacity: 7 Quarts

GoWISE USA 7 Quart 1700 Watts 8-in-1 Programmable Digital Air Fryer, Chilli Red Buy Now at Walmart

Deluxe 12.7-Quarts 15-in-1 GoWISE USA GW44800-O Electric Air Fryer Oven w/Rotisserie and Dehydrator

**GoWISE USA GW44800-O Deluxe 12.7-Quarts 15-in-1 Electric Air Fryer Oven w/Rotisserie and Dehydrator**

This fryer oven’s built-in rotisserie – It’s fast and easy, and you’ll love it. Includes 10 accessories: Comes with 10 accessories – everything you’ll need to make a homemade meal with ease.

Accessories include a rotisserie tong, rotisserie rod, oven rack, drip pan, skewer rotisserie, rotisserie cage, rotisserie steak cage, shallow mesh basket, and two mesh trays.

Easy-to-use: Easy-to-read, simple-to-use control display with 15 presets takes the guesswork out of cooking times and temperatures.

GoWISE USA GW44800-O Deluxe 12.7-Quarts 15-in-1 Electric Air Fryer Oven w/Rotisserie and Dehydrator Buy Now at Walmart

Cuisinart Toaster Oven Broilers Air Fryer

Introducing a healthier way to fry, and so much more!

The Cuisinart® Oven Fryer is actually a premium full-size toaster oven with a built-in air fryer. That means it not only bakes, broils, and toasts, but it also lets you air fry right inside the oven.

Full-size toaster oven with a built-in air fryer
A healthier way to fry
Uses powerful ultra-hot air to air fry
You can bake, broil, and toast
4-pound chicken requires only a teaspoon of oil to fry

Cuisinart Toaster Oven Broilers Air Fryer Buy Now at Walmart

Bottom Line

It can never take the place of oil deep-fried but with the air, the fryer noticed so far, that food especially meats and dough cooked crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, just like you would in deep-fried.

Often I found the baskets will catch the grease. My fried chicken is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Definitely, it’s a much healthier way to eat.

My air fryer doesn’t take up a lot of space on the countertop.

It can be a bit noisy because of the fan but it’s only for a short while.

Cooking made easy

Most air fryer I see have preset buttons for various types of cooking. It negates any guesswork about how long and at what temperature it should be cooked.

If you want the check on your cooking, you can pause the cooker, and thereafter, continue with your cooking without having to start the timing all over again.

Of course, you can manually set your timing and temperature once you’re familiarized with your cooking procedures.

The food is as good as what you put in the air fryer, so you still have to pre-seasoned and flavourings your food beforehand.

Push Button

You don’t just dump a piece of raw meat in the air fryer and expect it to turn out like a gourmet. Lots of pre-planning is required though, just as you would do in any conventional cooking. But the fun is, I found out that I found the joy of cooking back with a push-button.

Getting excited already to try out all the recipes that you’ve been holding up for a long time? Bring out the air fryer.

“WTF”

(Where’s The Food)

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Air Fryer: A World of Flavour At Your Fingertips