Rustle up some picnic must-haves without using the oven, including the crispiest scotch eggs
recipes SAMUEL GOLDSMITH photographs KIM LIGHTBODY
Air-fryer chicken tikka kebabs
SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins plus at least 20 mins marinating COOK 15 mins EASY
3-4 chicken breasts (around 600g),
cut into bitesize pieces
150g natural yogurt, plus extra to
serve (optional)
2 tbsp tikka masala curry paste
2 garlic cloves, crushed or
finely grated
thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
2 large naans (we used round naans)
handful of fresh coriander, chopped
To serve
your choice of mango chutney, lime
pickle, diced cucumber or raita,
crumbled bhaji
1 Put the chicken in a bowl with the yogurt, curry paste, garlic and ginger. Mix everything together and leave for at least 20 mins to marinate, or chill overnight. Will keep covered and chilled for a day.
2 Heat the air-fryer to 180C. Thread the chicken onto skewers – you’ll need between four and eight. If your air-fryer is big enough to hold the longer skewers, then use four, otherwise use eight shorter ones or cut them in half. (Alternatively, air-fry the chicken in pieces for 15-20 mins, turning halfway, until cooked through. You may need to do this in batches.)
3 Warm the naans following pack instructions – the microwave is a good option as it tends to soften them, which is helpful for wrapping around the chicken. Or splash the breads with water and toast.
4 Serve the naans topped with the chicken, chopped coriander, a drizzle of yogurt, if you like, and accompaniments of your choice.
GOOD TO KNOW calcium PER SERVING 463 kcals • fat 13g • saturates 3g • carbs 42g • sugars 6g • fibre 3g • protein 44g • salt 1.3g
Air-fryer scotch eggs
MAKES 4 PREP 40 mins COOK 30 mins MORE EFFORT
5 eggs
6 sausages (around 350g), skinned
6 rashers unsmoked streaky bacon,
finely chopped
8 sage leaves, finely chopped
or 2 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
40g plain flour
50-75g panko breadcrumbs
oil spray (optional)
mustard, to serve (optional)
1 Heat your air-fryer to 180C. Put 4 eggs in the air-fryer basket and cook for 8 mins. Remove and plunge the eggs into ice-cold water. Leave to cool, then peel. This is easiest when the eggs are fresh, but don’t worry if you peel some of the white away.
2 Tip the sausagemeat into a large bowl with the bacon, sage and mixed herbs and fully combine using your hands. Divide the mixture into four balls, then flatten each into a disc about 10cm in diameter – it’s best to do this on a baking parchment to stop it sticking to the work
