TIPS FOR FOOD PREPARATION
When preparing food in the microwave oven, the following basic
rules apply:
Preparation time
Smaller quantities of food cook more rapidly than large
quantities. If the amount of food is doubled, the preparation time
must be correspondingly almost doubled.
Small pieces of meat, small fish and chopped vegetables cook
more quickly than large pieces. For the same reason, it is
recommended, if, for example, you wish to make goulash, stews
or similar, that the meat be cut into pieces no bigger than 2 x 2
cm.
The compactness of the food affects the cooking time. The more
compact the food is, the longer it takes to cook it.
•
Whole joints require a longer cooking time than stews.
•
A joint requires a longer time than a dish with minced meat.
The colder the food, the longer the cooking time needs to be.
Food at room temperature will therefore cook faster than food
from a fridge or freezer.
When cooking vegetables, the cooking time depends on the
freshness of the vegetables. Therefore check the condition of the
vegetables, and add or deduct a little time accordingly.
The short cooking time when using a microwave oven means
that the food does not overcook.
•
If required, a little water can be added.
•
When cooking fish and vegetables, you only need to use the
minimum amount of water.
Microwave power
The choice of power setting depends on the condition of the
food to be cooked.
In most cases, the food is cooked on full power.
•
Full power is used, among other things, for reheating food
quickly, boiling water or similar.
•
Low power is principally used to defrost food and prepare
dishes containing cheese, milk or egg. (Whole eggs in their
shell cannot be cooked in the microwave oven, as there is a
risk of the eggs exploding). In addition, lower power settings
are also used to finish off and to retain the excellent aroma
of a dish.
General information on cooking
•
If the whole meal is to be prepared in the microwave oven, it
is recommended that you start with the most compact
foods, such as potatoes. Once these are ready, cover them
while the rest of the food is prepared.
•
Most food should be covered. A close-fitting cover retains
the steam and moisture, which shortens the cooking time in
the microwave oven. This is particularly the case when
cooking vegetables, fish dishes and casseroles. Covering
food also distributes the heat better, thus ensuring rapid
and excellent results.
•
In order to achieve the best possible results, it is important
to position the food correctly, as the microwave rays are
most powerful in the centre of the microwave oven. If, for
example, you are baking potatoes, you should position
them along the edge of the glass turntable so that they cook
evenly.
•
In order to cook compact dishes such as meat and poultry
evenly, it is important to turn the pieces of meat a few times.
•
You can bake in the microwave oven, although not with
recipes that include yeast.
•
When cooking food with a thick skin, e.g. potatoes, apples,
whole squash or chestnuts, you should prick holes in the
skin to prevent the food from bursting during cooking.
•
When cooking food in a “traditional” oven, you normally
avoid opening the oven door as much as possible. This is
not the case with a microwave oven: no energy or
significant heat is lost. In other words, you can open the
microwave door and check the food as often as you want.
Important safety measures when preparing food!
•
If using the microwave oven to heat baby food or liquids in a
feeding bottle, you must always stir the food/liquid and
check the temperature carefully before serving. This ensures
that the heat is evenly distributed and avoids scalding
injuries.
The lid and/or teat must not be fitted on a feeding bottle
when it is placed in the microwave oven.
•
Some foods may char and give off smoke if they are heated
too long. If this happens, you should leave the door closed
and switch off the microwave oven completely.
•
Some foods with low water content, e.g. chocolate in
squares and pastries with a sweet filling, should be heated
carefully, otherwise they or the container may be ruined.
USING UTENSILS WHEN PREPARING FOOD
Before starting to prepare food in containers, you should check
that the containers you wish to use are made of a suitable
material, as some types of plastic may become “limp” and
deformed, while some types of ceramics may crack (particularly
when heating small quantities of food).
In order to test if a container is suitable for use in a
microwave oven:
•
Place the container in the microwave oven.
•
At the same time, place a half-full glass of water in the
container.
•
Start the microwave oven, and run it for 15-30 seconds on
maximum power.
•
If the container becomes very hot to the touch, you should
avoid using it in the microwave oven.
When you prepare food in the microwave oven, you should
preferably use the following implements and materials:
•
Glass and glass bowls
•
Stoneware (glazed and unglazed). The food stays hot
longer in glazed stoneware than in other dishes.
•
Plastic containers These can be used for many heating
purposes, but are not suitable for roasting.
Please note! Plastic containers made from melamine,
polyethylene and phenol must NOT be used.
•
Porcelain All porcelain can be used in microwave ovens,
although fireproof porcelain is preferable.
•
Fireproof covered dishes Glass dishes with lids that fit so
closely that steam cannot escape are ideal for vegetables
and fruit to which no liquid is added (however, the cooking
time must not exceed 5 minutes).
•
Browning dishes You must be very careful when using this
type of dish. Never heat the browning dish for more than 5
minutes on the turntable. Suitable insulation, such as a
heat-tested plate, should be placed between the browning
dish and the turntable to prevent the turntable from
overheating.
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