With the joy and blessings of the holy month also comes the constant worry about what to make for iftar, and Eid. Juggling between work and household chores, the sun sets faster than we realise! There is no denying that we tend to splurge on food a little during Ramadan and Eid — who does not want to devour their favourite food after a long day of fasting?

But we often lean towards unhealthy choices, especially ones that are fried and oily and make up the typical iftar items. Well, no need to worry about giving up on your favourite items as long as they are made using substantially less oil — and you can do this by using an air fryer! Just pop them into the air fryer, using as little oil as the stroke of a brush, and let the device do its magic.   

Below are some recipes that you may try out this Ramadan or as an Eid snack made using an air fryer.

BLOOMING ONIONS

Ingredients

5-6 medium onions

½ cup flour

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 egg

½ cup milk

½ cup breadcrumb

Method

Chop the head of the onions, leaving the bottom intact. Make incisions sideways, starting from the top and slicing to the bottom. Make four incisions on each side, and then make one in between the initial ones so that you have eight in total. Make the flour mixture by mixing salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and dried oregano to it. Prepare the egg wash by beating the egg and milk together.

Spread the petals of the onion and generously coat them with flour, then dust off the excess. Dip the whole onions into the egg wash and drain. Finally, coat these with panko breadcrumbs until nicely coated. Brush your air fryer and the onions with oil and let them cook for 20 minutes at 180° C, flipping once in between. You can make a quick dip with mayonnaise and any hot sauce to go with it.

MUSHROOM PIE

Ingredients

1 large onion

300g mushrooms

½ cup peas

1 carrot

1 head broccoli

2 sheets filo pastry

100g butter

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp thyme

1 tbsp oil

Method

Slice the mushrooms and onions and cut the carrot into pieces. Then, mix the onions, mushrooms, peas, carrots, and broccoli, and spice them up with black pepper, garlic powder, soy sauce, and thyme. Cube the butter and throw in the cubes throughout the mix.

Stir everything together and then, in greased small, individual ramekins, drop in the mixture. Cut the filo pastry into circles and layer them over the top of the ramekins, brushing oil between the layers. Place them in the air fryer and let these cook for about 30 minutes until the top is golden and crispy and the filling is bubbling.  

SMOKED FISH CHOPS

Ingredients

2 smoked basa fillet

500g potatoes

¼ cup corn kernels

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp coriander powder

½ tsp chilli powder

½ cup bread crumbs

2 tbsp milk

Method

Boil the potatoes in salted water and let them cool down. Once done, mash them with a fork and add in the corn kernels. Then, add in the spices including salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, coriander powder, and chilli powder. Mix everything while pouring in little streams of milk to make the mixture smooth. Once done, cut the basa fillets into pieces, leaving them a little chunky and add them in.

Take a fistful of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Tap the mixture to give it an oval shape. Pat the chops into breadcrumbs on both sides and then put them in the air fryer. Spray them with cooking oil on both sides and let them cook for about 30 minutes, flipping once when halfway done.

HASSLEBACK POTATOES

Ingredients

4-5 medium potatoes

2 sticks sausages

¼ cup mozzarella cheese

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp paprika powder

½ tsp garlic powder

Coriander leaves for garnish

Method

Parboil the potatoes for 20 minutes and then cut them from the top to make thin gashes, but not to the bottom. Mix all the spices— salt, pepper, paprika powder, and garlic powder and then sprinkle them over the potatoes. Thinly slice sausages and put them in the gaps.

Top the potatoes with some mozzarella cheese and spray them with oil. Let these cook in an air fryer for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are crispy. Serve with some coriander leaves on top for a pop of colour.   

Photo: Fariha Amber