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Ever since I bought my air fryer I’ve been in love with it. My Cosori 5.8 Quart Air fryer is one of the most used appliances in my kitchen.
It also happens to be one of the most underutilized appliances in many kitchens. There is so much one can do using an air fryer. It is quick, convenient, and easy to cook with. So let’s see how to make the most of yours.
Few things to remember when using an Air fryer
1.Place the appliance on a stable heat-resistant surface. Keep away from areas that can be damaged by steam
2.The vent in the back of your air fryer needs to be kept at least 5 inches away from the wall to allow circulation.
3.Place smaller batches of food items into the inner basket. If the basket is overstuffed, then the food will be undercooked.
4.Shake, stir or flip the food at half time or as mentioned in the recipe for even cooking.
How can I use my air fryer more often?
1.Roasted potatoes
Who doesn’t love potatoes! They are so versatile and delicious. Making potatoes in the air fryer is a breeze and the time taken is definitely lesser than baking it in a convection oven.
Here are a few variations you can try:
by My Spice Trunk
by The Recipe Critic
by Love and Lemons
2.Roasted vegetables
Add more veggies to your diet by roasting them in your air fryer. Make some air-fried fries (carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin), add these delicious veggies in curries, use them for making soup or as a side dish.
by Live Eat Learn
3.Air fried chips
I love baked chips. If you like them too you must try to make them in the air fryer once in a while for some guilt-free munching.
by Evolving Table
by Life’s Little Sweets
by Moon Spoon and Yum
4.Air fried Fritters
Who doesn’t love fritters! But in our attempt to avoid deep-fried food, we don’t get to enjoy it very often.
Well then go ahead and use your air fryer to make some crispy and healthier version of your favorite fritters.
by My Dainty Soul Curry
by Diethood
by Rachana Cooks
5.Roasted beans and lentils
Make some healthy, protein-packed savory snacks using your air fryer and enjoy them guilt-free. You can also experiment with different spices and flavors to make it the way you like it.
6.Roasted Peanuts
I love roasting peanuts in my air fryer. It is so much easier than roasting it on the stovetop. You may ask why?
1.You don’t need to keep stirring it every now and then. Just one shake at halftime is good enough.
2.The skin peels off easier as compared to when roasted on the stovetop.
3.It works out cheaper than buying roasted peanuts.
Where can I buy raw peanuts?
It can be found in your local grocery stores but will work out cheaper if you buy it in ethnic stores catering to the Indian and other Asian populations.
7.Air fried Eggs
The first question that will come to your mind is that why air fry eggs? The traditional gas stove method of boiling eggs is simple enough!
Agreed. But the best part of making hard-boiled eggs in an air fryer is that you can set it and leave it, no need to babysit or come back to turn off the stove.
You can also try fried and scrambled eggs in it.
by Cook at Home Mom
by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
by Everyday Family Cooking
8.Make some desserts
How cool would it be to air fry your doughnut or make a small cake to satisfy your sweet tooth! Yes, air fryers make desserts too .. Hurray!!! And if you want to control the portion size, this appliance will be your best friend.
by My Forking Life
by Gimme Delicious
by Julies Eats and Treats
9.Air fried tofu
Tofu comes out great in air fryer. If you are a tofu lover, you must try it out.
by Jessica in the Kitchen
by Herbivore Cucina
by Hello Spoonful
10.Pizza and Garlic bread
Try air frying a quick pizza or garlic bread with ready-made crust/bread or make it from scratch.
11.Toast bread slices
Have you tried toasting your bread in the air fryer? It is the best toast ever! You can also try making some croutons for your soups and salads in it.
by The Kitchn
12.Frozen food
Do you keep frozen snacks like french fries, mozzarella sticks, spring rolls etc. in your freezer? Then you are sure to fall in love with this appliance.
I find it extremely convenient to cook frozen food in the air fryer. It saves you from spluttering oil on yourself when deep-frying as frozen foods tend to do that and is faster than a convection oven. It also gives promising outcomes and is definitely healthier than deep-frying it.
Good read: The Top 11 Frozen Food to cook in your Airfryer by The Kitchn.
13.Reheat food
An air fryer not only heats your food but also keeps the texture intact. Doesn’t make the food soft and soggy. Some foods you can reheat well:
-Pizza slices, calzone, and garlic bread
-Fried/air fried food like mozzarella sticks, spring rolls, puff pastries, fritters, donuts
-Chicken wings, nuggets, grilled/fried fish, fish sticks, steak, etc.
Basically, most foods that do not have liquid in them will heat very well.
Cleaning your Air fryer
1.Let the basket cool down before you start cleaning it.
2.Rinse once. Soak in hot water with dish soap for 10-15 mins
3.Drain the water, use a non-abrasive sponge and dish soap to rub the food residue and grease. Rinse well.
4.Air-dry the basket or wipe with a kitchen towel.
5.Wipe the inner parts of the air fryer with a soft cloth. Make sure the coil has cooled down before cleaning it. Place the basket back in the air fryer.
6.Wipe the outer surface of the air fryer with a damp soft cloth, if required.
Tip1: Line the inner basket with parchment paper and place food over it. Trash the used parchment paper once done. This makes cleaning the basket easier.
Tip2: Wiping the grease with a paper towel reduces the effort while washing the inner basket.
Tip 3: For stubborn grease spread a paste of baking soda (2 tbsp) and water (1tbsp) on the basket. Let sit for 5 mins, use a non-abrasive sponge scrub to remove the grease.
Are you ready to make the most of your air fryer?
Air fryer is a real blessing in your kitchen. It makes life easy! It is versatile, compact (as compared to a convection oven) and user-friendly. I can’t think of my kitchen without an air fryer anymore.
So bring out your air fryer and dust it off if you haven’t started using it yet. For those who are looking to use it more often, I hope you have found more uses for this appliance after reading this.
My recommendations
If you are looking to buy an air fryer , here are my recommendations. I would suggest buying a larger basket size so you have the option to cook more quantity in one go.
More recipes to try
