Oh, the air fryer.
Everyone's favourite kitchen gadget that rose to popularity during the pandemic has had people in a chokehold ever since.
From whole cookbooks created for the kitchen staple to people abandoning their ovens all together in favour of it, it's fair to say that people aren't putting their air fryer's into storage any time soon.
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Don't get me wrong, I get the appeal. They're compact, versatile, healthy, quick and easy to use.
However, for certain dishes you're going to have to put the air fryer away for the night as a list published by The Express warns against the five most 'dangerous' foods to cook in your trusty kitchen sidekick.
Too much sauce
First things first, any food that has a hearty sauce is a big no no for the air fryer. We're talking dad's famous chilli, spaghetti bolognese, anything with a high liquid content should be avoided.
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Why? Well, the amount of sauce can splatter throughout the interior, which not only causes a mess, but can prove dangerous.
Wet batter is a big no
It should go without saying that an air fryer is not the same as a deep fat fryer, a gadget perfect for wet battered foods.
However, when recreating your favourite chippy staple, leave the air fryer alone for this one.
The absence of hot oil can - again - create a mess leaving the wet batter to drip everywhere. This can cause damage to your fryer and if that happens, what are you going to use to recreate recipes you see on Instagram?
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All isn't lost though because flour-based batters or panko breadcrumbs are good to go - plus you'll get a better crunch too.
Skip the popcorn
A movie night isn't complete without a bowl of sweet or toffee popcorn - salty if you're nasty - but next time you make a bowl of the stuff at home, please, please don't use the air fryer.
You see, air fryer's don't get as hot as a pot of oil, so the kernels don't fully pop. Not only that but if the little things get lodged in the mechanism of the air fryer, it could short circuit and become a fire hazard.
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That's scarier than any movie you could watch if you ask me.
Anyone fancy nachos?
Bitter broccoli, anyone?
Ok, so this one isn't exactly dangerous, but people have enough of hard time with broccoli as it is without the air fryer turning it into an inedible piece of tree. An air fryer is essentially where broccoli comes to die, so if you want to jazz up the vegetable and serve it as a tasty side dish, try tossing in some herbs and spices and pan frying it.
Delish.
Dried goods
Pasta and rice are a staple in most of our diets but when it comes to the air fryer, you're better off sticking to more traditional methods - like some water and saucepan.
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Pasta and rice need to be boiled first and sadly, you can't achieve that in air fryer.
If you simply can't leave it alone for one night though, then you can use your air fryer to reheat pasta and rice dishes as opposed to using a microwave.
You're welcome.
Topics: Food And Drink, Health, Technology
Saskia Calliste