Have you ever heard of an air fryer? A lot of people start out as sceptics especially when it comes to new technologies.
I initially thought that air fryers were bogus and totally hyped up. You just need to try it out and taste the food for yourself.
So What is an Air Fryer?
Air fryers are fast becoming more popular nowadays. Add to that the fact that Master Chef Gordon Ramsay is endorsing them too.
Simply put, an air fryer uses really hot air to fry food. It actually makes use of superheated air too cook food inside its cooking chamber.
Can it make the same tasty deep fried food? Honestly, no, it can’t. Deep fry is deep fry. But Air Fryers fry your food using a small amount of oil.
That means your food will still taste like fried food. The big difference is that it is healthier since the food you eat wasn’t soaked in fat.
How Do They Work?
Air Fryers use brand new technology called Rapid Air Technology. It allows these appliances to heat air up to 200 degrees Celcius.
The food is placed inside a cooking chamber. Air is then superheated and it is allowed to circulate within the cooking chamber.
Eventually the food gets cooked. If there are any oils and fat in your food then that oil contributes to the overall frying process.
That Sounds Really Complicated
If you try to analyse the technology, it will sound complicated. However, using an Air Fryer is really not that difficult.
The controls and the frying procedure is really user friendly. Place the food inside the cooking chamber. Add some oil if you like. Close the chamber and start the fryer. That’s it.
A Faster and Healthier Option
Frying food using this appliance is really a healthier option. On top of that, it fries food really fast – usually from 12 to 25 minutes.
It also creates internal pressure, just like an oven. The really good news is that it uses 70% less oil than actually frying food.
Will I Burn My Hand If I Touch It?
Some people wonder if the superheated air can burn them. An Air Fryer actually comes with its own cooling system.
Cool air is drawn in via a fan at the top. It is heated inside as it passes through electric coils. A cooling system is at the bottom, which cools the air before it goes out underneath.
This system also cools the unit’s internal parts. Note that some designs are a bit different. But each unit will have a method of cooling the air, so don’t worry.
Who Made the First Air Fryer?
Air Fryers were first sold in Europe and Australia back in 2010. They were then sold to other countries like Japan and the US.
Nowadays, they’re pretty common in many countries. The locals in Japan use them for traditional fried prawns.They are also used for chicken wings, chips, and fries.
What Food Can You Cook in an Air Fryer?
You can fry pretty much any kind of food you like. The only limit is the size of the cooking chamber.
Just remember that the larger the piece of food you want to eat, the more cooking time it will require. Of course, you can always chop things up into smaller pieces.
Remember that most Air Fryers have a maximum capacity of 500 grams. However, some units are bigger so expect to be able to bake some cake too.
Do We Have to Do Pre-Heating?
You know how it is with ovens. You will have to preheat the oven before you can start baking. Air Fryers don’t require any preheating whatsoever.
They will fry your food with or without preheating. However, if you want to reduce the cooking time, you can preheat the unit for 4 minutes.
Whether you preheat the unit or not, your food will still come out crispy and tasty. The inside will be soft and juicy while the exterior will remain crispy.
Conclusion
Air fryers are the next thing in cooking technology. It has paved the way for a new method of cooking, which is actually healthier than usual.