Air Frying Curry Sauce: Safe Or Not?

Yes, you can cook curry sauce in an air fryer. In fact, you can cook an entire curry in an air fryer, including the sauce. Air fryers were not developed to make sauces and stews, but it is possible to do so. To avoid splattering, you can first prepare a thick curry sauce and then add it to a small pan in your air fryer. You can also use a cake barrel insert to make saucy recipes in the air fryer.

Air fryer chicken curry

Yes, you can cook curry in an air fryer. In fact, you can make an entire chicken curry in an air fryer, and it only takes about 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts
• Onion
• Red bell pepper
• Salt and pepper
• Curry paste
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Chicken stock cube
• Tomato puree
• Passata
• Coconut milk
• Cornflour (optional)
• Green chillies (optional)

Method:

First, add the oil to the air fryer cake-barrel, along with the chopped chicken, onion, and red pepper. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt and pepper, then mix together to coat the chicken and onion in the oil and seasoning. Place the cake barrel in the air fryer basket and air fry for 10 minutes at 190C, shaking the basket once halfway through.

Next, add in the curry paste, garlic, and ginger. Stir together and place back in the air fryer for 2 minutes. Add the crumbled stock cube, tomato puree, passata, and coconut milk. Stir together so everything is combined, then place back in the air fryer for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

Finally, remove from the air fryer, stir again, and check that the sauce is piping hot and the chicken is cooked through. If you want to thicken the sauce, stir in the cornflour slurry. Serve on top of rice, topped with fresh coriander and chillies.

Tips:

The key to making saucy recipes in the air fryer is to use a cake barrel with a handle that is suitable for your air fryer. You’ll need to measure the inside diameter of your air fryer basket to figure out which size cake barrel will fit.

You can also make a veggie curry in the air fryer, or swap the chicken for mutton or another meat of your choice.

Air fryer veggie curry

Yes, you can cook curry in an air fryer. In fact, you can make an Air Fryer Veggie Curry in just 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 tsp vegetable or sunflower oil
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, crushed or finely grated
• 2-3 tbsp curry paste
• 1 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tin of chickpeas
• 1 red chilli, finely sliced (optional)
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• Chopped coriander, to serve

Optional extras:

• Spinach
• Coconut milk
• Passata
• Garam masala
• Cumin
• Cilantro
• Garlic

Method:

First, heat your air fryer to 200C. Toss the sweet potato in the oil and cook in the air fryer for 15 minutes, or until almost softened. Mix in the onion and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened and is beginning to brown.

Tip the sweet potato and onion mix into a heatproof tin. Stir in the ginger and garlic, and cook in the air fryer for 2 minutes before stirring in the curry paste and chickpeas. Cook for a further 4-5 minutes until sizzling.

Now, stir in the chopped tomatoes and any optional extras, and cook for another 8-12 minutes until all the veg is tender and the sauce has thickened. If the sauce is too thick, you can loosen it with a little water.

Serve with rice, a scattering of coriander, and sliced red chilli, if desired.

Air fryer kidney bean curry

Yes, you can cook curry in an air fryer! Here is a recipe for an air-fried kidney bean curry:

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil or oil spray
• 2 medium onions (approx. 250g/9oz), thinly sliced
• 1 red or orange bell pepper, cut in half, seeds and membrane removed
• 2 green finger chillies
• 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 70ml (1/4 cup) unseasoned passata
• 125ml (1/2 cup) vegetable stock, stock cube stock fine
• 1⁄2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (more or less to taste)
• 1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
• 11⁄2 tsp ground cumin
• 11⁄2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 – 2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil, optional
• 600g (21oz) tinned (canned) kidney beans, strained
• ½ tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• Coriander (cilantro), to garnish

Method:

• Preheat your air fryer to 200°C/400°F.
• Place the sliced onions, bell pepper, 1 tbsp oil and salt into a mixing bowl. If you are on a reduced-calorie diet, spray with cooking oil to coat and mix it all up well.
• Pour it all into the cooking basket to fry for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Carefully spread the garlic and ginger paste over the veggies to cook for the last two minutes and then pour it all back into your mixing bowl.
• Add the remaining sauce ingredients to the bowl and then blend with a stick blender or countertop blender until smooth and set aside.
• Now set your air fryer to 200°C/400°F. Pour the oil if using into a cake tin or another metal pan that fits into your air fryer basket. If using oil, heat the oil for a couple of minutes and then pour in the smooth sauce and cook for 10 minutes. The sauce will begin to brown on top and around the sides.
• Add the kidney beans and stir them in. Continue air frying for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the curry is hot enough to serve.
• To finish, add the kasoori methi by rubbing it between your fingers over the curry. Add the garam masala and season with salt to taste. Give it all another good stir and garnish with the chopped coriander (cilantro).

This kidney bean curry can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Air fryer tikka masala curry

Yes, you can cook curry in an air fryer! Here is a recipe for Air Fryer Tikka Masala Curry:

Ingredients:

• 225g (1/2 lb.) chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces or tandoori chicken tikka
• 2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil or ghee or oil spray
• 2 medium onions (approx. 250g/9oz), thinly sliced
• ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 1 tsp sugar (more or less to taste)
• 1 tbsp ground almonds
• 1 tbsp coconut milk powder or 3 tbsp thick coconut milk
• 125ml (1/2 cup) passata
• 1 tbsp mixed powder or curry powder
• 1 tbsp tandoori masala
• 375ml (1 ½ cups) chicken stock, stock cube stock is fine
• 70ml (1/4 cup) single cream, plus more to garnish
• 1/2 tsp red food colouring (optional)
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 3 tbsp coriander (cilantro) to garnish

Instructions:

• If you don't already have pre-cooked chicken tikka, spray the chicken with oil and air fry with or without marinade for 10 minutes in an oil-sprayed basket, turning once.
• Mix the sliced onions and pepper with oil or oil spray and place in a preheated basket at 200°C/400°F.
• Air fry for 10 minutes, adding the garlic and ginger paste for the last two minutes.
• Transfer the fried onion mixture to a bowl and add the remaining sauce ingredients. You can blend with a stick blender. Or, blend the sauce in a countertop blender until smooth.
• Pour the sauce into your preheated air fryer and air fry for 10 minutes. The sauce will brown on top. Stir that in for extra flavour.
• Stir in the cooked chicken and then continue air frying for 5 to 10 minutes or until hot enough to serve.
• To finish, add the kasoori methi and garam masala. Season with salt to taste and stir well.
• If you like, you could also swirl a little more cream over the top to garnish.

Tips:

• You can use a simple air fryer, or one with a sauté function.
• You will need a metal pan that fits into the basket of your air fryer. Small cake tins are a popular choice.
• You can use any metal pan, as long as it fits into your air fryer basket.
• Silicone pans are not recommended for cooking curries as they don't get hot enough and will increase cooking time.
• You can add pre-cooked air fryer chicken tikka or simply air fry some chicken tikka at the beginning.
• This recipe serves 1 to 2 people.
• Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen.

Air fryer chicken tikka masala

Yes, you can cook curry in an air fryer! It works similarly to cooking curry in a pan on a stovetop. You can sauté your ingredients, then add the curry sauce, and then simmer.

Ingredients:

• 225g (1/2 lb.) chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces or tandoori chicken tikka
• 2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil or ghee or oil spray
• 2 medium onions (approx. 250g/9oz), thinly sliced
• ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 1 tsp sugar (more or less to taste)
• 1 tbsp ground almonds
• 1 tbsp coconut milk powder or 3 tbsp thick coconut milk
• 125ml (1/2 cup) passata
• 1 tbsp mixed powder or curry powder
• 1 tbsp tandoori masala
• 375ml (1 ½ cups) chicken stock, stock cube stock is fine
• 70ml (1/4 cup) single cream, plus more to garnish
• 1/2 tsp red food colouring (optional)
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 3 tbsp coriander (cilantro) to garnish

Instructions:

• If you don't have pre-cooked chicken tikka, spray the chicken with oil and air fry with or without marinade for 10 minutes in an oil-sprayed basket, turning once.
• Mix the sliced onions and pepper with oil or oil spray and place in a preheated basket at 200°C/400°F.
• Air fry for 10 minutes, adding the garlic and ginger paste for the last two minutes.
• Transfer the fried onion mixture to a bowl and add the remaining sauce ingredients. You can blend with a stick blender. Or, blend the sauce in a countertop blender until smooth.
• Pour the sauce into your preheated air fryer and air fry for 10 minutes. The sauce will brown on top. Stir that in for extra flavour.
• Stir in the cooked chicken and then continue air frying for 5 to 10 minutes or until hot enough to serve.
• To finish, add the kasoori methi and garam masala. Season with salt to taste and stir well.
• If you like, you could also swirl a little more cream over the top.

Tips:

• If you are on a reduced-calorie diet, squirt the veggies all over with kitchen oil spray instead of adding two tablespoons of oil.
• You can add pre-cooked air fryer chicken tikka or you can simply air fry some chicken tikka when you begin cooking.
• You will need a metal pan that fits into the basket of your air fryer. Small cake tins are already popular accessories for air frying casseroles and stews.
• You can use any metal pan as long as it fits into your air fryer basket. However, silicone pans are not recommended for cooking curries as they don't get hot enough and will increase cooking time.

Frequently asked questions