With the mutual love for deep-fried snacks, Indian kitchens have made way for an air fryer to make their favourite munchies healthier. While it was initially commercialised as an oil-free way of making French fries, the electronic gadget has proved its worth beyond whipping up the classics. Whether you want to make pakoras on a rainy day, reheat sabzis, or even bake, an air fryer can take care of it.
If you are an Indian home cook, this is just the right piece for you to make the most of your air fryer sitting on your countertop. Besides using the gadget for oil-free cooking, here are some air fryer hacks that can turn your way around the kitchen. With the potential of replacing the multiple appliances you might own, here’s how you can use Usha’s air fryer to its maximum potential.
Make Tandoori Snacks
If you have been postponing making tandoori snacks like paneer tikka, chicken tikka, etc, you can whip them up in Usha’s air fryer. Without investing in a tandoor or griller, you can get the perfectly charred tandoori snacks by marinating the ingredients and letting them sit for an hour. Skewer them, set the temperature to 200°C, and air fry for about ten to fifteen minutes. Your restaurant-like snacks will be ready, and you can have a barbecue party at home.
Roast Spices
Roasting spices is a common practice in Indian kitchens. Since the spices need your constant attention to prevent them from burning, you can use an air fryer instead. Simply place whole spices like cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom pods, coriander seeds, etc, in a silicon tray or an air fryer-safe container. Roast them for about five minutes at 160°C, and you’ll get the most consistent bhuna masala.
Whip Up Crispy Sabzis
The crispy sabzis like kurkuri bhindi, baingan ki kachri, karela fry, etc, also require a lot of oil. To make the delicious recipes without them being greasy, air fry using Usha’s handy appliance instead of deep or shallow frying. The air fryer will help remove the moisture and prevent the veggies from turning soggy, giving you the perfectly crispy sabzi to enjoy.
Reheat Leftovers
Every time you have a leftover samosa, naan, or pakore, you sit there as reheating them in the microwave will make the texture soggy and chewy. However, unlike microwaves, air fryers don’t take away the crispy textures. Within a few minutes, you can reheat rotis, parathas, naans, and enjoy. As for the crispy snacks like pakoras, samosas, or cutlets, air fry for about five minutes, and they’ll be hot and crispy.
Hard Boil Eggs
Have you ever tried making hard-boiled eggs without even using water? You need to try this hack with Usha’s air fryer. Simply place the raw eggs in the air fryer basket and set the temperature to around 140°C. Since the temperature is low, you won’t even need to preheat. Let the eggs cook for around fifteen to twenty minutes, and immediately transfer them to an ice bath. This will help stop the cooking process and make the peeling easier. Slide off the shells, and make your high-protein breakfast without standing in the kitchen.