Why does everyone loves potato smileys? The answer is simple. They are crisp and golden. Potatoes always bring a smile to every foodie. Most people love to buy frozen Mc Cain smileys from the market but you can also make them at home too. You can make yummy and crunchy potato smiley face fries in many ways.
- Deep fry them.
- Bake them in an oven.
- Air fry smileys.
These cute smiley fries in the air fryer is a healthier way to have a snack that does not require deep frying. Use circle cookie cutters or mandolin slicer to make your chips.
Apart from air fryer smiley fries ,you can make other air fryer recipes like golden brown french fries from scratch or frozen crispy fries , crinkle cut fries, potato wedges ,curly fries , spring rolls , frozen hashbrowns and homemade hash browns. They are a great side dish when you serve your roasted veggies. Air fryer is a boon to make crisp fries in less time, with very little oil.
You can serve this great snack of happy faces, in a large bowl at any movie night, Superbowl, IPL .Make your any boring day special. Smile and have a smiley!
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Ingredients
cooking oil, salt, and any additional seasonings you prefer. You can also use pre-made frozen smiley fries such as McCain smiles.
- potatoes
- cooking oil / sunflower oil / any of the cooking oils
- salt as per taste
- corn flour
- plain flour
- salt and spices
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make easy potato smiley fries in air fryer?
Peel and thickly slice the potatoes.
In a pot of boiling water, Boil potato slices for 15 minutes.
Make a mix of all purpose flour, corn flour, water ,salt and spices.
Dip the smiles in mix.
place on a grill.
Transfer them to a tray with a baking sheet ,move them to the freezer.freeze for 1-2 hours.
Then, make the smileys by using a straw and knife / back of a spoon.
Preheat your 190 degrees C | 355 degrees F for 5 minutes. Place your smileys in the air fryer basket without overlap. Brush/spray oil on the smileys. Cook them for 10 minutes
Brush/spray oil on the smileys,cook further for 8-9 minutes.
Serve this delicious snack hot with your favorite tomato ketchup / barbecue sauce.
Hint: always preheat your air fryer, like an oven, for best results.
Substitutions
You can use the frozen Mc Cain smileys instead of making them for scratch. Commercially, hotels deep fry them so you can do the same, if you are not using an air fryer. You can also bake McCain fries and McCain smiley fries in an oven. Cooking time will take around 30% more. You can also make them from sweet potatoes or baby potatoes instead of potato.
Variations
Add some chopped green onions and fresh herbs in your smileys for an extra crunch! Use different seasonings such as garlic powder, paprika, spice mix or parmesan cheese. Use different cookie cutters to enhance your smiley experience. You can make different expression of smiling faces and also educate the young ones.
Another way of making them is by boiling and mashing the potato and coating them with breadcrumbs.
Equipment
- air fryer
- brush / oil spray
- straw
- knife / back of a spoon
- saucepan
- masher
Storage
Make your potato shapes and store them in a tray after covering with a cling film. Store them in a freezer, until you are ready to cook.
Top tip
Always remove any bits of left over food before you preheat your air fryer, or if using a preheated oven.
FAQ
place leftover fries in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. To reheat them, simply place them in the air fryer basket and cook for 1-2 minutes until crispy.
Yes, you can.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
air fryer smiles recipe | smiley fries recipe in air fryer
Equipment
- straw
- knife / back of a spoon
- saucepan for boiling potatoes
- brush /oil spray optional
- mandolin slicer / cookie cutter
Ingredients
- 2 potatoes
- 2-3 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon salt or as per taste
For cornflour mix
- ½ cup all purpose flour / plain flour / maida
- ¼ cup corn flour / corn starch
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt or as per taste
- 1 teaspoon spices any spice like chipotle,paprika,
Instructions
- Peel and thickly slice the potatoes.
- In a pot of boiling water,add salt, Boil potato slices for 15 minutes.Make a mix of all purpose flour, corn flour, water ,salt and spices.
- Dip the smiles in mix and place on a grill.Transfer them to a tray with a baking sheet ,move them to the freezer.freeze for 1-2 hours.
- Then, make the smileys by using a straw and knife / back of a spoon
- Preheat your 190C| 355F for 5 minutes. Place your smileys in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Brush/spray oil on the smileys. Cook them for 10 minutes.
- Brush/spray oil on the smileys,cook further for 8-9 minutes.
- Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Conclusion: Potato smileys in an air fryer are an easy snack. It is healthier and yes, has the same crunch and golden sheen. Crisp and Delish!
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation.
Please share your inputs..