I was given an air fryer for Christmas. Where do I start?
Emma, Leeds
According to a report by Lakeland, 45% of UK households now own an air fryer, and for Poppy O’Toole it’s not hard to see why. “They really are the answer to ease and comfort in the kitchen,” says the author of Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Air Fryer Cookbook. “There’s less washing up, less faff, and you don’t compromise on taste.” In fact, as hot air circulates around whatever you’re cooking, you’ll get pleasingly crisp results, and with “hardly any oil, so it’s a healthy way to cook, too”, adds Hayley Dean, author of How to Make Anything in an Air Fryer. Perhaps the biggest win of all, though, is how efficient air fryers are. “They can do all the things you can do in an oven, but super-fast and economically,” says Niki Webster, author of The Vegan Air Fryer. “You can roast vegetables in 20 minutes rather than an hour.”
For newbies, the first thing to note is that not all air fryers are created equal. This is why Webster recommends doing something she never normally would, which is read the manual. “It’s really worth spending a bit of time understanding your machine, because they’re all different,” she says. A sentiment echoed by O’Toole: “Some models are more ferocious than others, [so] test out a few basic recipes so you can gauge timings.” It’s no different from getting acquainted with a new oven, and just like ovens, air fryers need preheating. “People often wonder about this, but it will ensure even cooking,” Webster adds. And don’t do anything daft like diving straight into the sweet stuff. “You see all these amazing desserts online, but they’re quite tricky to do,” warns Webster. (If you are going to do this, get yourself a mini metal baking tray – “that’s my absolute best tip, because it ensures an even bake”.)
As to where to start your air-fryer escapades, you could do a lot worse than the potato. For self-confessed spud queen O’Toole, this means chips: “They’re quick, easy, no mess, and never let me down. Plus, they get beautifully crisp.” That said, right now O’Toole would roast a whole chicken. “Cooking this way blew my mind because the chicken stays incredibly moist, yet still gets that crispy skin that everyone around my table fights for.” Sausages or chicken satay skewers are another good option, adds Dean. For the latter she marinades sliced chicken breast in a mix of peanut butter, coconut milk, soy, curry powder, brown sugar, garlic and ginger pastes, and chilli flakes, then threads the meat on to skewers. “Stick them in the air fryer (preheated to 180C) and you get a delicious, peanut buttery, golden finish on the meat.”
We are, of course, in soup season, and this is another good tactic for those getting to grips with their air fryer. Webster adds root veg (think squash, sweet potato), garlic, onion and rosemary, which “get all sticky” in about 20 minutes, then blitzes the lot with stock. Air fryers will also enhance your snack game, with Webster’s go-to being a crumpet topped with hummus or (vegan) cheese. “The outside crisps up and the topping goes gooey in two minutes,” she says, which is an excellent effort-to-reward ratio.
Got a culinary dilemma? Email feast@theguardian.com
