You'll fall in love with an air fryer, thanks to J’Something

We'd come together for an event hosted by Philips and the affable Mi Casa frontman and cook J’Something. He started the class with an all-time favourite: a deboned leg of lamb, which he rubbed with olive oil, sprinkled with herbs and seasoning and popped into an air fryer.

In minutes everyone perked up as aromas emanated from the tabletop cooker. And the culinary magic? In under 20 minutes the lamb was cooked to perfection — mouth-wateringly crisp and brown on the outside and perfectly pink in the centre. The singer went on to cook a sumptuous meal in record time — and I share some of the recipes.

WHAT’S AN AIR FRYER?

One of the most popular appliances today, the countertop convection oven was launched by Philips in 2010 and is based on a cooking concept developed in the 1940s. Using a fan to distribute heat in an airtight chamber, food cooks more rapidly and has all the advantages of  fried  food — being crisp and golden brown —  except this is achieved with little or no oil.  

Initially the drawback of the tabletop cooker was the small size, but this has evolved with many different brands on the market today. Philips, the original producer, has gone on to launch larger and more technologically advanced air fryers. Its latest comes with “smart sensing technology” that takes the guesswork out of cooking with auto buttons for preparing popular foods.

And the best part is the ease of cleaning. The removable parts are easily cleaned in the dishwasher or in a sink of hot soapy water.

SIX OF THE BEST

MY SIX WINNING AIR-FRYER DISHES

• BBQ chicken: A shop-bought-style of whole roast chicken in under 60 minutes. Rub the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle over BBQ seasoning and roast at 180°C for 50 minutes. Pierce the thigh to see if the juices run clear and if not cook for a further 5 minutes and recheck. Rest for 5 minutes before portioning.
• Chicken wings: For the crispest, most delectable, moreish chicken wings, toss 500g in a drizzle of oil, add your favourite spice blend and roast at 180°C for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway.
• Chicken breast fillets: Succulent and melt-in-the-mouth. Brush with olive oil, season and add your favourite spice  or herb blend and cook at 180°C for 5 minutes per side. Stand for a minute before serving.
• Sweet potato: The air fryer brings out the wholesome deliciousness of this tuber. Cut the sweet potatoes into chunks without peeling. Toss in a drizzle of olive oil and season. Place in the air-fryer basket and cook at 180°C for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through the cooking time.
• Zola Nene’s crispy air fryer pork belly: It’s delicious and so easy, find it on her TikTok page.
• Chips: Brilliant for chips using the Smart Sensing technology. I’ve found that the bigger frozen chip and even potato wedges work particularly well cooked in the air fryer.