An air fryer expert has warned UK households against cooking poppadoms in the popular kitchen appliance during National Curry Week, which ends on October 11. Martin Senders, an air fryer chef at Philips, says the delicate structure of poppadoms makes them completely unsuitable for air fryer cooking.
According to Senders, the intense hot air circulation in air fryers hits the poppadom surface too aggressively, causing uneven cooking, scorched edges, curled-up discs, and rapid burning. In some cases, attempting this shortcut can even cause appliances to overheat and trigger smoke alarms within seconds.
Why poppadoms fail in air fryers
"Air fryers are amazing cooking appliances, and are brilliant for cooking food, but poppadoms simply cannot handle the intense airflow," Senders explained. "They burn, buckle, and in some cases trigger smoke alarms within seconds."
To achieve light, crispy poppadoms without any kitchen chaos, Senders advises sticking to cooking methods designed for quick bursts of open heat. Poppadoms are best prepared traditionally in hot oil, under a grill, or briefly inside a microwave.
"The reason for this is that poppadoms are designed to cook in a quick burst of open heat, either in hot oil, under a grill, or in the microwave. However, in the air fryer, the rapid airflow hits the poppadom surface too aggressively, causing uneven cooking and sudden burning," he said.
Curry sides that air fry well
However, curry fans do not need to leave their air fryers entirely idle during National Curry Week. Senders points out that other popular Indian side dishes perform exceptionally well in air fryers.
Classics such as onion bhajis and samosas turn out deliciously crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside, making them ideal alternatives for air fryer cooking. "Let the air fryer handle other tasty sides, such as onion bhajis or samosas, that turn out deliciously crisp and juicy and are perfect to cook in the air fryer," he said.
Poppadoms are authentic Indian flatbreads that originated on the Indian subcontinent, where they are traditionally made from lentil, chickpea, or rice flour and eaten as a crunchy side dish or snack. However, the common practice of serving them as a distinct pre-meal appetiser alongside a tray of chutneys and pickles is a specific British Indian Restaurant (BIR) tradition rather than a native South Asian custom.
