Air fryers are possibly one of the most convenient kitchen appliances out there these days, so it's no surprise that they've become a must have in most homes across the UK. As well as the endless list of things you can cook with one, there's the added bonus of them being typically cheaper to run than an oven.
I have the Daewoo 2 litre air fryer, which is the perfect size for me considering I typically only cook for up to two.
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It's no secret that people are now more creative than ever with with their cooking, and I have found TikTok one of the best resources to find tasty and new recipes that work well in the air fryer.
I tried out the viral halloumi popcorn that people have been raving about on the platform as it looked like a simple recipe with a quick cooking time, making the perfect mid-day snack.
Becky Excell, who is known for sharing quick and easy recipes on her TikTok account, went viral with her air fryer halloumi popcorn video, which has over half a million views.
You don’t need many ingredients at all to make this. I used halloumi, one egg, some plain flour, and crushed cornflakes.
While some people use breadcrumbs, I opted for cornflakes to put my own twist on the recipe as they’re a great stand in for bread crumbs.
Additionally, you can use herbs and spices to season your halloumi such as paprika and when they’re ready, you’re going to want a nice dipping sauce to accompany your cheesy bites.
The cost of the ingredients is quite low, with halloumi typically retailing between 2-3 pounds. Everything else were things I already had in my cupboard. The method is also extremely simple, and takes under five minutes to prepare.
Cut up your halloumi into bite size pieces, coating it in flour, egg and crushed cornflakes/breadcrumbs. Once all your pieces are coated, pop them into the air fryer for 10-12 minutes at 200 C.
Depending on the size you want to make your popcorn bites, you definitely get a decent portion for two or three out of the halloumi block. Once they were ready, I dipped them into hot sauce and sriracha mayo as I found it went well with the bites, giving them more flavour.
They were really tasty and so easy to make, it was the perfect snack to have in the middle of the day and especially handy when your fridge or cupboards are looking a little bare and you’re looking to throw something together.
The cheesy take on popcorn chicken definitely got the thumbs up from me.
Air fryers are a great alternative to conventional ovens, not only because they help you create energy-efficient family meals by reducing cooking time - but they also help reduce the amount of fat that you consume as well. This makes them a healthier option for mealtimes, and means you use 99 per cent less fat whilst cooking.
Air fryers also very versatile, with them providing a variety of cooking options including frying, grilling, roasting and baking.
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