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TIPS AN D ADV ICE
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TIME SETTINGS
In general the thawing, heating and co o king times
a re sig nific a ntly sho rte r tha n w he n using a
co nventio nal co o ker o r o ven. Fo r this reaso n yo u
sho uld adhere to the reco mmended times given in
this co o kery bo o k. It is better to set the times to o
sho rt, rather than to o lo ng. Test the fo o d after it
ha s b een c o o ked. It is b etter to ha ve to c o o k
so mething fo r a little lo nger than to o verco o k it.
INITIAL TEMPERATURES
Tha w ing , he a ting a nd c o o king time s a re
dependent upo n the initial temperature o f the fo o d.
Deep-fro zen fo o d and fo o d sto red in a
re frig e ra to r, fo r e xa mple , re q uire s lo ng e r tha n
fo o d which has been sto red at ro o m temperature.
Fo r he a ting a nd c o o king , no rma l sto ra g e
te mp e ra ture s a re a ssume d (re frig e ra to r
te mp e ra ture a p p ro x. 5 ° C , ro o m te mp e ra ture
appro x. 2 0 ° C). Fo r thawing the temperature o f
the deep freeze is assumed to be - 1 8 ° C.
COOKING TIMES
A ll the time s g ive n in this c o o ke ry b o o k a re
guidelines, which can be varied acco rding to the
initial temperature, weig ht and co nditio n o f the
fo o d (water o r fat co ntent etc.).
SALT, SPICES AND HERBS
Fo o d c o o ke d in yo ur mic ro w a ve re ta ins its
ind ivid ua l fla vo ur b e tte r tha n it d o e s w he n
co nventio nal preparatio n metho ds are used. Fo r
this reaso n yo u sho uld use salt very sparingly and
no rmally add it o nly after co o king. Salt abso rbs
liquid and dries o ut the o uter layer o f the fo o d.
Herbs and spices can be used as no rmal.
ADDITION OF WATER
Ve g e ta b le s a nd o the r fo o ds with a hig h wa te r
co ntent can be co o ked in their o wn juice o r with
the additio n o f a little water. This ensures that
many vitamins and minerals are preserved.
FOOD IN SKINS OR SHELLS
Fo o d such as sausag es, chickens, chicken leg s,
baked po tato es, to mato es, apples, eg g yo lks o r
such like sho uld be pricked o r pierced with a fo rk
o r small wo o den skewer. This will enable the
steam which fo rms to dissipate witho ut splitting the
skin o r shell.
LARGE AND SMALL QUANTITIES
Micro wave times are directly dependent upo n the
amo unt o f fo o d which yo u wo uld like to thaw, heat
o r co o k. This means that small po rtio ns co o k mo re
quickly than larger o nes.
As a rule o f thumb:
TW ICE THE AMO UNT = ALMO ST TW ICE THE TIME
HALF THE AMO UNT = HALF THE TIME
DEEP AND SHALLOW CONTAINERS
Bo th co ntainers have the same capacity, but the
co o king time is lo ng er fo r the deeper o ne. Yo u
sho uld the re fo re c ho o se a s fla t a c o nta ine r a s
po ssible with a large surface area. O nly use deep
co ntainers fo r dishes where there is a danger o f
o verco o king, e.g. fo r no o dles, rice, milk etc..
ROUND AND OVAL CONTAINERS
Fo o d c o o ks mo re e ve nly in ro und o r o va l
co ntainers than in co ntainers with co rners, since
the micro wave energy co ncentrates in the co rners
a nd the fo o d in the se a re a s c o uld b e c o me
o verco o ked.
COVERING
Co vering the fo o d retains the mo isture within it and
sho rtens the co o king time. Use a lid, micro wave
fo il o r a co ver. Fo o ds which are to be crispy, e.g.
ro asts o r chickens, sho uld no t be co vered.
As a general rule, whatever wo uld be co vered in a
co nventio nal o ven sho uld also be co vered in a
micro wave o ven. W hatever wo uld be unco vered
in an o rdinary o ven can also be left unco vered in
a micro wave o ven.
TURNING
Me d ium-siz e d ite ms, suc h a s ha mb urg e rs a nd
ste a ks, sho uld b e turne d o ve r o nc e d uring
co o king, in o rder to sho rten the co o king pro cess.
Large items, such as ro asts and chickens, must be
turne d , sinc e the up p e r sid e re c e ive s mo re
micro wave energy and co uld dry o ut if no t turned.
STANDING TIME
Keeping to the standing time is o ne o f the mo st
impo rtant rules with micro waves. Almo st all fo o ds,
w hic h a re tha w e d , he a te d o r c o o ke d in the
micro wave, require a certain amo unt o f time to
stand, during which temperature equalisatio n takes
p la c e a nd the mo isture in the fo o d is e ve nly
distributed.
