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1.7 RULES AND TIPS FOR USING THE OVEN
chapter 1 - general
Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic radiation. They occur in nature in the
form of light waves (eg. sunlight). In the oven, these waves penetrate food from
all directions to heat water, fat and sugar molecules. Heat is generated in the
food itself, while the container warms up as a result of heat spreading from the
food only. In microwave cooking, food does not stick to the dish. You can
therefore use very little fat and in some cases no fat at all.
As microwave cooking is low fat, microwave prepared food is considered to be
very healthy. Microwave cooking also involves lower temperatures than
traditional cooking. It therefore dehydrates foods less, destroys less of their
nutritional value and retains more original flavour.
Fundamental rules for correct microwave cooking
1) Cooking time depends directly on the
size and evenness of the food
. A cas-
serole will cook faster than a roast because it consists of smaller regular-
sized pieces. When you refer to the cooking tables later in this manual,
remember that you must increase or reduce cooking time to match the volu-
me of food you are cooking. Always respect
standing time
, in other words,
the length of time you must leave food to "rest" after cooking. Standing time
ensures that food is served at an even temperature throughout. The tempe-
rature of meat, for example, can rise between 5°C and 8°C (approx. 9°F to
15°F) during standing time. Food can be left to stand inside or outside the
oven.
2) Always
mix or stir
food several times during cooking. This not only ensures
even temperature distribution but also reduces cooking time.
3)
Turn food over
during cooking. This is specially important for meat, whether
in large pieces (roasts, whole chickens, etc.) or small pieces (chicken brea-
sts, casseroles, etc.).
4)
Pierce foods with skins, shells or peel (eg. apples, potatoes, tomatoes,
frankfurters, fish, etc.) with a fork at several points to allow steam to esca-
pe from inside. This prevents these foods from exploding inside the oven
(see fig. 4).
5) If you are cooking a number of portions of the same type of food (eg. boi-
led potatoes), arrange the portions
in a ring
around the outside of an oven-
proof dish to ensure they cook evenly (see fig. 5).
6) The lower the temperature at which food is placed in the oven, the longer the
cooking time required. Food placed in the oven at room temperature will
cook sooner than food coming directly from the refrigerator.
7) Always place dishes and containers in the middle of the turntable.
8) It is perfectly normal for
condensation to form
inside the oven and near the
air outlet vents.
To reduce this, cover the food with clear film, greaseproof
paper, glass covers or simply an upturned plate.
Foods with a high water
content (eg. greens and vegetables) cook better when covered. Covering
food also helps keep the inside of the oven clean. Use clear film suitable for
microwave cooking.
9)
Do not microwave cook eggs in their shells
(fig. 6). Pressure will build up
inside and can cause the egg to explode, even after cooking has finished.
Do not heat eggs cooked in their shells. Heat scrambled eggs only.
10) Always open air-tight or sealed containers before placing them in the oven,
otherwise pressure will build up inside and may cause them to swell and
explode even after cooking has finished.
fig. 4
fig. 5
fig. 6
