Much like the microwave oven a few decades ago, the air fryer has revolutionised kitchens — and the way we cook.
But it is so much more than a microwave oven.
The nifty air fryer has many benefits and, as Louisa Holst illustrates in her latest recipe book, The South African Air Fryer Cookbook, it is more than just a “potato chip-making machine and useful for reheating”.
Holst, a food consultant, recipe developer and food editor for more than 20 years, is passionate about food and discovering new flavours to create delicious but easy-to-cook family-friendly recipes.
Enter many households’ favourite kitchen gadget: the air fryer, easy to use and compact.
“The versatile air fryer — essentially a small countertop convection oven that cooks food quickly and efficiently — has gained tremendous popularity over the years,” Holst says.
“It has many benefits — it saves you time because things cook quicker than in an oven and, because an air fryer uses rapid air technology to create heat, it heats up faster than an oven.
“In this way, it saves you money because it uses a lot less [energy] than a large oven.”
Recipes include everything from the humble toasted sandwich and roasted cauliflower to a more decadent stuffed ostrich steak and pork belly roast with pears and fennel.
The recipes are divided into sections and include snacks and starters, family meals and, perhaps the most appealing given our busy lives planned lately around load-shedding, quick and easy meals.
Then there are local favourites.
South African classics such as milk tark, hertzoggies, bobotie and apricot snoek with sweet potato feature, as do mealie bread with biltong and boerewors with chakalaka.
Holst has even put a twist on a Cape Malay favourite — the koesister (not to be confused with the Afrikaner koeksister) — with her spicy koesister cupcakes.
A section on vegetables and sides dishes includes Moroccan-spice butternut and naartjie salad and roasted baby carrots and pineapple.
Like with anything and everything else, air fryers range in size and functionality and can be very simple, or take a little more getting used to.
“Experiment with your air fryer and try out different ingredients. You will soon see what works and what doesn’t,” Holst advises.
“Use the cooking times in air fryer recipes as a guide: it is difficult to give exact times because there are many different makes and models available, all with slightly different capabilities.
“You will soon learn how long it takes your specific air fryer to cook basic ingredients.”
Apart from the actual recipes, Holst also provides some tips for air-frying success, air fryer cooking times and some useful air fryer accessories.
- The South African Air Fryer Cookbook is published by Human & Rousseau
HeraldLIVE
BOOK REVIEW | Stretch the limits with favourite kitchen gadget
Digital editor
Image: SUPPLIED
Much like the microwave oven a few decades ago, the air fryer has revolutionised kitchens — and the way we cook.
But it is so much more than a microwave oven.
The nifty air fryer has many benefits and, as Louisa Holst illustrates in her latest recipe book, The South African Air Fryer Cookbook, it is more than just a “potato chip-making machine and useful for reheating”.
Holst, a food consultant, recipe developer and food editor for more than 20 years, is passionate about food and discovering new flavours to create delicious but easy-to-cook family-friendly recipes.
Enter many households’ favourite kitchen gadget: the air fryer, easy to use and compact.
“The versatile air fryer — essentially a small countertop convection oven that cooks food quickly and efficiently — has gained tremendous popularity over the years,” Holst says.
“It has many benefits — it saves you time because things cook quicker than in an oven and, because an air fryer uses rapid air technology to create heat, it heats up faster than an oven.
“In this way, it saves you money because it uses a lot less [energy] than a large oven.”
Recipes include everything from the humble toasted sandwich and roasted cauliflower to a more decadent stuffed ostrich steak and pork belly roast with pears and fennel.
The recipes are divided into sections and include snacks and starters, family meals and, perhaps the most appealing given our busy lives planned lately around load-shedding, quick and easy meals.
Then there are local favourites.
South African classics such as milk tark, hertzoggies, bobotie and apricot snoek with sweet potato feature, as do mealie bread with biltong and boerewors with chakalaka.
Holst has even put a twist on a Cape Malay favourite — the koesister (not to be confused with the Afrikaner koeksister) — with her spicy koesister cupcakes.
A section on vegetables and sides dishes includes Moroccan-spice butternut and naartjie salad and roasted baby carrots and pineapple.
Like with anything and everything else, air fryers range in size and functionality and can be very simple, or take a little more getting used to.
“Experiment with your air fryer and try out different ingredients. You will soon see what works and what doesn’t,” Holst advises.
“Use the cooking times in air fryer recipes as a guide: it is difficult to give exact times because there are many different makes and models available, all with slightly different capabilities.
“You will soon learn how long it takes your specific air fryer to cook basic ingredients.”
Apart from the actual recipes, Holst also provides some tips for air-frying success, air fryer cooking times and some useful air fryer accessories.
HeraldLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Latest Videos
Most Read
Leisure
Leisure
Leisure
Leisure
Leisure