Air fryers have been rising in popularity over the last few years because they are great for cooking fried foods more healthily than deep-fat frying. Many different foods can be cooked in them, and Indian food is one of the foods that cook very well in an air fryer.
So, can air fryers cook Indian food? Yes! Air fryers are versatile enough to cook a wide array of Indian food, including pakora, chicken tikka, naan bread, onion bhaji, and so much more. The possibilities are endless!
This article will tell you everything you need to know about cooking Indian food in an air fryer. You will learn how long it takes, safety concerns, whether it alters the taste of your food, and more.
What Indian Food Can You Cook in an Air Fryer?
Not everyone enjoys cooking, so air fryers can help make cooking easier and more convenient. The possibilities are endless when it comes to cooking with these nifty little devices.
Most things you would normally fry can be cooked. Another benefit of air fryers is that they can also bake, so if you want to make a specific Indian bread, you can.
Curries can be cooked, but you must place them in a metal bowl or another container that will not melt in the air fryer. Dishes that contain sauces may be difficult to remove from the basket.
The good thing about cooking things that don’t have a sauce in your air fryer is that the baskets are easily removed to allow for emptying straight on to your plates or by using tongs.
Here is a definitive list of the Indian foods that you can cook in your air fryer:
- Pakoras
- Bread
- Tandoori Chicken
- Chicken Tikka
- Curries
- Paneer
- Fried Rice
- Imarti
- Khaata Meetha Petha
- Pani Puri
- Samosa
- Bonda
- Chicken 65
- Pesarattu
- Sandige
- Vada
- Chakri
- Dahi Vada
Cooking Indian Food: Is an Air Fryer the Best Way?
There are many different ways of cooking Indian food, but most of it involves frying or baking. An air fryer is a suitable option because it could be great for people who don’t have much space in their kitchen or for those who are more health-conscious.
Some people may prefer to follow the traditional Indian recipes, so whether you use an air fryer to make your Indian food will be determined by personal preference.
Why Should You Cook Indian Food in an Air Fryer?
Air fryers have gained lots of attention because of the health benefits that come with them. With traditional frying, lots of oil is used, which is part of the reason that people are experimenting with air frying. They want to enjoy great fried food without health concerns.
The article “Are Air Fryers Healthy?” from Medical News Today explains that the air fryer was designed to give a more healthful option to people who love deep-fried foods.
Some of the benefits of using an air fryer include:
- They promote weight loss by making “deep-fried” foods with less fat and calories than traditional deep-fried foods.
- They lessen the risk of toxic acrylamide formation, which has been linked to various cancers.
- They help to reduce the risk of heart disease and inflammation commonly associated with the consumption of deep-fried foods.
Air fryers require little to no oil to function. They work by circulating hot air around the food items placed inside the pan or basket. The air replicates the crispy texture of deep-fried food, and it also has the added benefit of the food not being saturated with oil. The only negative, for some, is that it changes the taste of the food, but it is not always noticeable.
The change in taste results from the lack of oil saturation in the food. Cooking with air offers a crispy texture, but the oily taste will be gone. Whether you enjoy air-fried food will depend on your taste preferences.
Tips for Using an Air Fryer
While air fryers are safer than most other forms of cooking, some useful tips can help when it comes to cooking your favorite Indian food.
- When cooking pakoras, it’s a good idea to take the air fryer basket out multiple times throughout cooking and shake the contents. This allows them to cook more evenly.
- Do not overfill the basket. The hot air will not circulate well if there’s little room for it to move around. This can prevent food from cooking quickly.
- Use spray oil instead of pouring oil. Spray oil comes out in much smaller doses and can cover the food more evenly.
- If using breadcrumbs, ensure that they are stuck to the food well before air frying, or you run the risk of them falling off while cooking. If they do fall off, it could cause smoke while cooking, and it could even burn some internal parts of the air fryer.
- Always pay attention to the manufacturer’s instructions. Some air fryers come with recipe books that give recommendations of what to cook at specific heats.
- Always pay attention to the air fryer while cooking.
- Wear heat-resistant gloves in case the handle is warm when you remove the food.
Features to Look for When Purchasing an Air Fryer
When purchasing an air fryer, it is worth noting that the higher the wattage rating, the higher the heat will be generated inside. Higher heat means you are more likely to get that beautiful crispy taste you will need. The higher rating also means the food will cook more quickly because it is a more efficient device.
The capacity of the basket is also a consideration. Air fryers are usually small, so you cannot cook large amounts of food at one time. This could prove problematic if you’re cooking for lots of people. The best thing to do is to assess how much you can cook and whether there are racks you can put in to maximize that space.
Here is a list of features to look out for when purchasing an air fryer. These will help you make sure you are picking the best one for your needs.
- If you are looking to cook curries in the air fryer, then it would be wise to get an air fryer with a rotating paddle that also includes a pan.
- If pakoras and other Indian sides are more your thing, then the standard basket option air fryer will be fine.
- If cooking multiple dishes at once, then an air fryer with multiple racks would be beneficial. This will allow you to prevent different food dishes from touching.
- The bigger the capacity, the more you can cook, so think about how many people you will be cooking for before making the purchase.
- Check how much oil you need to use. Some can run with no oil, while others require a small amount.
- Check whether the manufacturer recommends baking, and if so, which temperatures they recommend. These temperatures can vary from air fryer to air fryer.
If you’re wondering which air fryer to buy, the Chefman 6.3 Quart Digital Air Fryer + Rotisserie is a great option. It has a 4.5 out of 5-star rating and includes many of the features listed above.
In Conclusion
Air fryers can fry any food that you would normally fry, and more. There may be different ways of crafting the recipe to make it more suitable to air fry, but there are many air-frying recipes that include ways to cook Indian foods in air fryers.
Ultimately, it will come down to what you want to cook and for how many people.
If you live in a small household or cook for yourself and one other person, an air fryer would be an asset to your kitchen.