Crispy Restaurant Food from a $70 Air Fryer. No Deep Fryer Needed.
I’m an HVAC tech in Fargo who was dropping $400 a month on takeout three years ago. Then I figured out how to make the same egg rolls and orange chicken my dad used to make in San Francisco except in an air fryer instead of a wok.
That’s where it started. Once I understood how temperature control makes perfect crispy texture, I applied the same methodology to everything, from Italian chicken parm to buffalo wings. Turns out the principles that work for egg rolls work for pretty much anything that’s supposed to be crispy.
Now MY family saves $250 a month on takeout, and my 4-year-old Lily ceremonially presses the air fryer start button announcing “Daddy’s cooking!” every single time. My dad in San Francisco grudgingly admitted they’re “還可以” (pretty good) which is his version of a Michelin star.
This blog launched in November 2024 to share what I’ve perfected over 3 years of daily air fryer cooking. Every recipe here has been tested minimum 3 times in my 7-quart air fryer with exact temperatures, timing, and troubleshooting notes.
Air Fryer Journey (March 2022 – Present)
- $9,000+ saved in MY household since starting
- 1,000+ meals cooked in my air fryer over 3 years
- Every recipe tested minimum 3 times before publishing
- 22 minutes average weeknight dinner prep
- 1 skeptical Cantonese father won over with “還可以”
- Blog launched: November 2025
No joke, these are my personal results from 3 years of daily air frying. I’m sharing what worked for MY family. Your mileage may vary, but the methodology is proven.
How I Test Every Recipe
Here’s the deal: I approach recipes like troubleshooting HVAC systems, adjust one variable at a time, document failures, test until it works consistently.
My 5-step process:
- Adapt traditional recipe for air fryer (no wok, no deep fryer)
- First test at estimated temp/time, note what fails
- Adjust ONE variable and retest
- Repeat until it passes the Lily test (won’t eat visible green vegetables) AND tastes close to San Francisco
- Final test with exact measurements before publishing
My first egg roll batch? Soggy disaster. Lily, who was only 1 back then threw one on the floor. Even Buddy (our golden retriever mix) wouldn’t touch it. But I adjusted temp from 350°F to 380°F, flipped them halfway through. Third batch was perfect.
Every recipe includes troubleshooting notes so you skip straight to what works.
What’s Cooking This Fall
Fargo’s getting cold, which means air fryer season. Ope, I’ve been batch-cooking potatoes after Lily’s soccer practice at Lindenwood Park, half go in the air fryer immediately, half get saved for weeknight dinners.
Also perfecting honey walnut shrimp that uses way less oil than restaurant versions. Jessica gives me a thumbs-up without looking up when something smells good. Buddy’s already positioned himself by the air fryer, he’s memorized the routine.
Last week: crispy mozzarella sticks that actually taste deep-fried.
Lily’s requesting them for her next playdate.
Check back in a couple weeks for the shrimp recipe with exact temps.
Recipe of the Week
Air Fryer Sweet Potato
Master Air Fryer sweet potato with crispy skin and fluffy inside in 30 minutes. Tested at 400°F for perfect results every time, no oil needed.
Fresh from the Kitchen
Cook dino nuggets air fryer style in 8 minutes at 400°F. Crispy breaded coating, perfect for kid lunchbox, way better than microwave results.
Jessica made me change out of my HVAC work shirt for this one. Those jars hold rice and dried goods from Hornbacher’s nothing fancy.
From San Francisco to Fargo: Air Fryer in Between
Grew up watching my dad make traditional Cantonese dishes in our San Francisco apartment. Moved to Fargo after finishing my HVAC degree at North Dakota State College of Science because North Dakota had jobs and affordable housing.
Never learned to cook until March 2022. That’s when Tom, a coworker at Climate Control Solutions, brought air-fried egg rolls to our company potluck. I bit into one and immediately thought of Golden Dragon back in San Francisco. No joke, I cornered Tom by the coffee maker asking how he made them without a deep fryer.
Tom showed me a photo that night. I ordered one on Amazon the next morning.
After three months of testing, I video-called my father while making egg rolls. He watched silently, then asked me to mail some frozen ones overnight. A week later, he texted: “Son, they’re pretty close. Not exactly like your 阿媽’s, but pretty close.” For him, that was high praise.
I only use ingredients from Hornbacher’s on 13th Avenue South. Average cook time is 22 minutes because I’m making dinner after 10-hour HVAC shifts (7am-5pm), not on leisurely Sunday afternoons.
Troubleshooting notes are at the bottom of every recipe, what I messed up so you don’t have to. Lily won’t eat anything with visible green vegetables, so these recipes are toddler-tested.
Why Trust Someone Who Just Launched?
Fair question. I’m not a chef, don’t have culinary credentials, and launched last month. What I DO have:
- 3 years of real-world testing : Every recipe survived 50-hour work weeks, a picky 4-year-old, and my wife’s preference for lighter food.
- Technical troubleshooting mindset : As an HVAC tech, I diagnose broken systems daily. Failed recipes get the same treatment: figure out WHY, adjust one variable, document the fix.
- No sponsored BS : Ordered my air fryer on Amazon after Tom’s potluck, paid for it myself. I shop at Hornbacher’s. If I recommend something, it’s because I’ve been using it daily for 3 years.
- Cultural honesty : These aren’t “authentic” traditional recipes, they’re Chinese-American comfort food adapted for real life. I’m not pretending to be my 阿媽.
