Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Aubergine Chips
Aubergine chips achieve their best texture when air fried, as the convection heat crisps the coating while keeping the centre soft. The air fryer is ideal for this dish, as it quickly removes moisture from the crumb coating, ensuring a perfect crunch without excess oil.
Ingredients
- 2 medium aubergines, about 550–650g total
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus extra to finish
- 60g plain flour
- 25g cornflour
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 tbsp milk or water, to loosen the egg
- 120g panko breadcrumbs
- 25g finely grated Parmesan, optional
- 2–3 tbsp olive oil or rapeseed oil, ideally in a spray bottle
- 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley or coriander, to serve
- Lemon wedges, to serve
- 150g Greek yoghurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp harissa or chilli sauce
Method
- Trim the aubergines and cut each into chips about 1.5cm thick and 7–9cm long.
- Put the aubergine chips in a colander, sprinkle with 1 tsp fine salt, toss well and leave for 20 minutes.
- Pat the chips very dry with kitchen paper.
- Set up three bowls: flour, cornflour, paprika, garlic granules, cumin and black pepper in the first; beaten eggs and milk or water in the second; panko and Parmesan in the third.
- Coat a handful of aubergine chips in the flour mixture, shake off the excess, dip in egg, then press into the panko.
- Preheat the air fryer to 190°C for 3 minutes if your model recommends it.
- Lightly oil the basket or perforated liner.
- Arrange the chips in a single layer with small gaps between them.
- Spray or drizzle with oil, aiming for a light sheen.
- Air fry at 190°C for 8 minutes, then turn the chips with tongs and spray any dry, floury patches with a little more oil.
- Cook for a further 5–7 minutes, until the chips are deep golden at the edges and feel crisp when tapped with tongs.
- Transfer to a wire rack for 2 minutes, then season with a small pinch of salt, herbs and a squeeze of lemon.
- Serve straight away with the yoghurt dip or your favourite sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
