Publisher's Synopsis
INTRODUCTION
What is an air fryer?
The air fryer is essentially an amped-up countertop convection oven-it doesn't fry your food. The air fryer mimics the results of deep-frying with nothing more than hot air and little or no oil.
In the simplest of terms, an air-fryer is a compact cylindrical countertop convection oven. It's a kitchen appliance that uses superheated air to cook foods, giving results very similar to deep-frying or high-temperature roasting. In a standard oven, the air is heated and the hot air cooks the food. In a convection oven, the air is heated and then blown around by a fan. This creates more energy and consequently cooks foods faster and more evenly.
How do air fryers work?
Air fryers use the same technology as convection ovens, but instead of blowing the air around a large rectangular box, it is blown around in a compact cylinder and the food sits in a perforated basket. This is much more efficient and creates an intense environment of heat from which the food cannot escape. The result is food with a crispy brown exterior and moist tender interior - results similar to deep-frying, but without all the oil and fat needed to deep-fry. When you are air-frying, you usually use no more than one tablespoon of oil!
Better still, an air fryer doesn't just cook foods that you would usually deep-fry. It can cook any foods that you would normally cook in your oven or microwave as well. It is a great tool for reheating foods without making them rubbery and is a perfect and quick way to prepare ingredients as well as make meals. To me, it is the best new kitchen appliance that has been introduced in recent years.
What Can You Cook in an Air Fryer?
An air fryer is great for cooking food that is often deep-fried: it can give you the crunch without much oil. Things like frozen mozzarella sticks, tater tots, frozen fries, and chicken nuggets work well. Air fryers are also good at making fried chicken - especially fantastic wings. Roasted vegetables are going to be crispy, browned, and perfectly cooked in the center, but you'll use as much oil as you would oven-roast them. Anything that can benefit from high heat is perfect for an air fryer: little potatoes cut in half and tossed in olive oil, chickpeas that become a super-crunchy snack, steaks, chops, and more. You can also bake bread and cookies, and air fryer s'mores are a fun party trick.
The Benefits of Air Fryers
A. You can make crispy foods with a small amount of oil.
B. They're easy to use.
C. It's a more healthful cooking technique than deep frying.
D. They won't heat your kitchen like an oven
