If you don't use an air fryer, you will regret it!

When was the last time you used an air fryer?

The inspiration for today’s issue comes from an interesting thing I discovered when my friends and I were talking about cooking: everyone’s opinions on air fryers are completely polarized.

Opponents believe that this is a useless product that is useless and will be left unused after only two uses.

Supporters say it is the most cost-effective small appliance, and that it is used so frequently that the air fryer is almost worn out. A quick search online shows that netizens have mixed feelings about air fryers.

On the second-hand trading platform Xianyu, it ranks first among the “Top Ten Useless Items of the Year”;

There are a lot of new or used air fryers for sale, and you can get one for just 100 yuan. Image source: Screenshot of Xianyu platform

On the lifestyle sharing platform Xiaohongshu, which has a vast amount of recipe tutorials, there are also countless cases of failures;

Delicious food and bad things coexist, the difference between people... Image source: screenshot of Xiaohongshu

On the Weibo platform Jijizha, tens of thousands of netizens were arguing about it, and hundreds of millions of people were watching.

Image source: Screenshot of Weibo topic

With high popularity and great controversy, the air fryer is definitely the top-of-the-line (but soon to be outdated) small kitchen appliance.

With the original intention of giving everyone another chance to eat delicious food and help them solve their questions, I carefully studied everyone's complaints about the air fryer and found that it is indeed not unfair that it is criticized.

Especially the target users who are attracted by its “convenience and simplicity” - kitchen novices/newbies, who spend hundreds of dollars and can only occasionally heat up semi-finished products, which is a big loss.

But...it can actually still be saved (after all, it can't be removed even if you put the salted fish in it...).

Other people's air fryer is a treasure

Why is my home so difficult to use?

Other people's air fryer is a multifunctional super machine that combines a toaster, barbecue grill, egg cooker, deep fryer, oven, defrost machine, fruit dryer, dryer...

Kitchen experts can make the most of ordinary air fryers that cost only a few hundred yuan. Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

My own air fryer... I can cook anything with it.

Why?

After looking through the various failure records on Xiaohongshu and discussing with a foodie who is an in-depth user of air fryers, I found two common problems that are easily overlooked.

1

Different ingredients, no different processing

When deep-frying, the moisture on the surface of the food evaporates rapidly and the oil replaces the water, forming a crispy, porous, dry hard shell. It makes the food crispier while locking in the moisture inside.

The air fryer is a "simple oven with a fan" that uses hot air instead of "oil" to dehydrate food and achieve the effect of frying.

But this substitution is conditional depending on the ingredients.

Ingredients that can be replicated in an air fryer to create a fried taste usually contain a lot of fat, such as grilled chicken wings and grilled pork belly.

Using an air fryer to roast pork belly can force out a lot of oil. Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

Ingredients with little fat are not fried but dried : if the ingredients are too small and thin, they will dehydrate and become dry and tough; if the ingredients are too thick and large, the outer layer will be dry but the inside will be wet... In short, it is very unpalatable.

If the food is high in water content, forget it, it will just be stewed and will not be crispy at all.

Three ideas to solve the problem:

Add some oil . If you want a crispier texture (such as fried eggs), you still need to add some oil to allow the fat to thinly coat the food. If you are afraid of getting fat, you can use a spray oil bottle;

Remove excess water . If you want to have a better "grilled" feeling for ingredients with too much water (such as mushrooms and zucchini), it is best to marinate them with a little salt for a few minutes to remove the excess water;

Cook first . If you want a soft texture (such as roasted eggplant), don't cut the ingredients into small pieces too early. Roast or steam the whole egg first to prevent it from becoming too dry inside. For example, the soul of snail noodles - fried eggs, the air fryer version of fried eggs and baked eggs, if you don't put oil in it, it will be a hard-to-swallow solid egg pancake, and anyone who makes it will fail. But just add 5 grams of oil, and you can get a delicious taste with low calories that makes dieters ecstatic.

If you want to make fried eggs with "bubbles" that can absorb soup, you must add oil, 3 to 5 grams is enough, 180 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes, turn over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

2

Putting too much at one time

The grill of the air fryer is relatively deep, which can easily give people the illusion that all the ingredients are thrown in and after a while, they are cooked in one pot.

You can’t see what’s inside many pots while they’re being heated. If a kitchen novice follows online tutorials, when they open the pot, they may be frightened rather than surprised.

Either it's burnt through and smoking, or it's burnt on the top and burnt on the bottom, but still raw in the middle.

The air fryer has overturned, and the main feature is a mushy mess with various forms and materials. Image source: screenshot of Xiaohongshu

In fact, according to the heat cycle design of the air fryer, it can only handle... one layer.

Too much food is put in, and the hot air cannot enter the middle part, so the surface is burnt but the inside is still raw and wet. Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

When cooking, it is best to lay all the ingredients out in a single layer and avoid stacking them. After heating for a while, you need to turn them over. Beginners must remember to take them out and take a look from time to time.

Marinate 400g chicken wings with seasoning for 1 hour, bake in an air fryer at 180 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes, sprinkle with some chili powder and cumin powder, turn over and bake for another 10 minutes. Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

Objectively speaking, if you want to prepare a table full of dishes, it is indeed a bit difficult for the air fryer, but for a small family of 1 to 3 people, it is really delicious to make one or two quick dishes after get off work or on weekends.

In addition to heating semi-finished products, it also has 5 major functions. I wonder if I will really regret it.

Trust me, your air fryer will be exhausted.

Home grill that can help you lose weight

The barbecue outside is BBQed while being grilled with oil. It smells really good and makes the meat really fat.

Using an air fryer, you can easily get the same taste, but only need 10 grams of oil (or even less).

What? You said you don't know how to make seasoning?

Here is a recipe for a universal seasoning: (paste chili powder) dipping water + cumin + soy sauce + sugar + vegetable oil. Try it, the barbecue flavor will come out in no time.

Different ingredients require different amounts of oil. For those who want to lose weight, you can just use an oil sprayer to spray a thin layer. Chili dip is the soul! Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

Just stuff the marinated ingredients in, set the time and temperature, turn it over in the middle and continue baking, and the delicious dish will be ready to be served.

With it, you don’t have to eat cold barbecue takeaway anymore;

This pot with lettuce, garlic and perilla leaves, who is drooling (¯﹃¯) Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

With it, you can eat grilled wings, grilled shrimps anytime, anywhere...

Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

With it, you can make lamb kebabs at home that are comparable to those in barbecue restaurants.

Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

With it, even ordinary tofu, cauliflower, cabbage, oyster mushrooms, beans, and shiitake mushrooms can become delicious dishes to go with rice.

Wash and dry your favorite vegetables, sprinkle with a little oil, salt, cumin, and chili powder, mix well, and fry in the air fryer at 180-200 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes. (If you can't keep up with the time, remember to take it out a few more times) Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

Kitchen experts can also create original recipes to make barbecue with different flavors.

Automatic cooking machine without smoke or fire

You can also use an air fryer to make home-cooked stir-fries. The key is that it is really worry-free: you only need to stir it a few times with chopsticks. Not only do you not have to endure the smoke and fire in the kitchen, but you can also just rinse it with water and detergent after eating, and you don’t even have to scrub the pot!

Add more chili peppers, a little more oil, turn up the temperature, and you’ll have the flavor of a dry pot, a crispy and fragrant aroma.

Dice the chicken thighs, add appropriate amount of light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt, white pepper, oyster sauce, a handful of dried chili segments and peppercorns, mix well and marinate for 30 minutes. Put silicone paper in the pan, pour in the marinated chicken, drizzle with a little cooking oil, bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes, turn it over with chopsticks, and bake for another 10 minutes. (Dried chili segments are easy to burn, so adjust the time and temperature according to the temperament of your own air fryer). Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

Lower the temperature and extend the time, add some water to the bottom of the pot, and it will easily turn into a steam oven , making the food tender and juicy.

Dice the chicken thighs, add soy sauce, salt, white pepper, oyster sauce, and starch, mix well and marinate for 30 minutes. Pour a small bowl of water into the air fryer, put silicone paper on the bottom rack, cover with scallions, pour in the marinated chicken, drizzle with a small amount of cooking oil, bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes, sprinkle with a little chopped green onion and garlic, and bake for another 5 minutes. Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

Marinate a box of ribs and put them in the refrigerator. When you want to eat them, take out two pieces and grill them. It’s a delicious barbecue supper~

Add four cloves of minced garlic, appropriate amount of chicken essence, salt, soy sauce, minced ginger, and oyster sauce to one pound of spareribs, mix well and marinate for half an hour. After marinating, spread it out in the air fryer and bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

In short, as long as you pre-process the ingredients according to their characteristics, the air fryer can help you realize your dream of becoming a chef easily.

Temperature-adjustable household air dryer

The air fryer is a small household dryer that can be used to process fruits and vegetables, meat and shrimp, flowers and plants, and even rags.

Cut potato chips, dried apples, and dried pineapples into thin slices and bake them slowly at a low temperature. They are easy to have as snacks while watching TV shows.

Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

There are also various kinds of jerky chicken, dried shrimp, and beef. After the fresh ingredients are marinated, bake them at 180 degrees for 12 minutes, turn them over and bake them for another 5 minutes. You can eat them without making any noise.

Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

If you are worried that the flowers you bought home will wither, try 80 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes (low temperature for a long time), and they will bloom for a month or two without any problem.

Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

Anyway, the main point is to save trouble and money.

The only drawback is that different pots have different power, so you need to pull them out from time to time to take a look and adjust the temperature and time according to the situation.

Perfectly restored leftover snack reheating machine

If you live in the humid south, make sure you keep your air fryer at home.

Are the opened nuts, biscuits, and snacks damp and affecting their taste? Turn them in the air fryer and they will be crispy and just like they were just opened.

Especially nuts, the aroma and taste are completely different when they are just roasted in the pan. Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

The fried chicken and ribs left over from the day before can also be reheated in an air fryer, just like they were just fried/baked.

Image caption: What should you do when you want to say something but can't? Listen to me, open a bag of potato chips and eat them. When the other person starts talking, you will find that what you originally wanted to say is not that important. Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

In short, for some dishes that need to restore the crispy taste, the drying function of the air fryer can be the perfect solution, which is simply perfect.

Automatic dessert machine for lazy people

Don’t think that the air fryer can only cook hard dishes, it also has a say in desserts.

I won’t say much about roasting sweet potatoes and chestnuts, as they are basic operations.

Although baking bread, cakes and egg tarts cannot reach professional standards, it is enough to satisfy your cravings.

Separate the egg white from the yolk. Add sugar, 5 grams of corn oil, and 10 grams of milk to the egg yolk, stir evenly, and sift in 17 grams of low-gluten flour and stir until smooth. Add sugar to the egg white in small amounts several times, and beat until a large hook is formed when it is lifted. Mix the egg yolk paste and egg white paste evenly, pour into a baking bowl and bake at 140 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

Eat one baked apple with butter, cinnamon and sugar on a winter night, and the house will be filled with fragrance, bringing happiness and low burden.

Wash the apples, remove the cores, wrap them in tin foil, and bake them in an air fryer at 200 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. If you like a sweet taste, you can add a spoonful of sugar, a little cinnamon powder, and a small piece of butter to the core. Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

For something a little different, try the Chocolate Banana Baked Oatmeal.

Soak 30g oatmeal + 60g milk for 20 minutes. Add two-thirds of crushed banana, an egg, an appropriate amount of cocoa powder or a small piece of crushed chocolate, stir well and pour into a baking bowl or high-temperature resistant container. Spread the remaining banana on the surface, sprinkle some flax seeds for decoration, and air fry in 170 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes. Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

It’s warm and sweet, who can resist a bite in the winter? And it’s really as simple as “put it in – take it out”.

In addition to cooking delicious food, the air fryer can be used in a wide range of ways as long as you dare to use your imagination...

For example, a hard frozen meat thawing machine

Personally tested, such a pile of ribs, the temperature is set at about 30 to 40 degrees, and it can be completely thawed by blowing for about 40 minutes. After thawing, it should be handled as soon as possible to reduce the possibility of bacterial growth. Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

For example, a wet rag towel dryer

Set it below 150 degrees Celsius, blow, blow, my pride is indulged ~ Image source: Dingxiang Life Research Institute

In short, the air fryer is a small drying oven. As long as you understand its properties, using it can really save you a lot of trouble!

If your air fryer has been collecting dust, it is highly recommended to give it a few more chances and work with a friend to save it.

References

[1] Harold Mackey, Mackey, Qiu Wenbao, & Lin Huizhen. (2013). Food and Cooking. Beijing Fine Arts Photography Publishing House.

[2] Sato Hidemi. (2014). Understanding the Why of Heat Using Scientific Methods. Dajing Culture Publishing House

Planning and production

Source: DingXiang Life Research Institute This article is authorized to be reproduced from DingXiang Life Research Institute (ID: DingXiangLab) and may not be reproduced without authorization

Planning: Feidi Kiki

Photo taken by Zhang Huchuan and Hugou

Review丨Lan Xiaofang, Master of Food Processing and Safety, China Agricultural University

Editor: Wang Mengru