GB-22
ENGLISH
TIPS AND ADVICE
TIME SETTINGS
I n general the thawing, heating and cook ing
times are significantly shorter than when using a
conventional cooker or oven. For this reason you
should adhere to the recommended times given in
this cookery book. It is better to set the times too
short, rather than too long. Test the food after it has
been cooked. It is better to have to cook something
for a little longer than to overcook it.
INITIAL TEMPERATURES
Thawing, heating and cooking times are dependent
upon the initial temperature of the food. Deep-
frozen food and food stored in a refrigerator, for
example, requires longer than food which has been
stored at room temperature.
F o r h e a t i n g a n d c o o k i n g , n o r m a l s t o r a g e
temperatures are assumed (refrigerator temperature
approx. 5°C, room temperature approx. 20°C). For
thawing the temperature of the deep freeze is
assumed to be - 18°C.
COOKING TIMES
A l l t h e t i m e s gi ve n i n t h i s co o k e r y b o o k a re
guidelines, which can be varied according to the
initial temperature, weight and condition of the food
(water or fat content etc.).
SALT, SPICES AND HERBS
Food cooked in your microwave retains its individual
flavour better than it does when conventional
preparation methods are used. For this reason you
should use salt very sparingly and normally add it
only after cooking. Salt absorbs liquid and dries out
the outer layer of the food. Herbs and spices can be
used as normal.
ADDITION OF WATER
Vegetables and other foods with a high water
content can be cooked in their own juice or with
the addition of a little water. This ensures that many
vitamins and minerals are preserved.
FOOD IN SKINS OR SHELLS
Food such as sausages, chickens, chicken legs, baked
potatoes, tomatoes, apples, egg yolks or such like
should be pricked or pierced with a fork or small
wooden skewer. This will enable the steam which forms
to dissipate without splitting the skin or shell.
LARGE AND SMALL QUANTITIES
Microwave times are directly dependent upon the
amount of food which you would like to thaw, heat
or cook. This means that small portions cook more
quickly than larger ones.
As a rule of thumb:
TWICE THE AMOUNT = ALMOST TWICE THE TIME
HALF THE AMOUNT = HALF THE TIME
DEEP AND SHALLOW CONTAINERS
Both containers have the same capacity, but the
cooking time is longer for the deeper one. You
should therefore choose as flat a container as
possible with a large surface area. Only use deep
containers for dishes where there is a danger of
overcooking, e.g. for noodles, rice, milk etc..
ROUND AND OVAL CONTAINERS
Food cooks more evenly in round or oval containers
than in containers with corners, since the microwave
energy concentrates in the corners and the food in
these areas could become overcooked.
COVERING
Covering the food retains the moisture within it and
shortens the cooking time. Use a lid, microwave foil
or a cover. Foods which are to be crispy, e.g. roasts or
chickens, should not be covered.
As a general rule, whatever would be covered in
a conventional oven should also be covered in a
microwave oven. Whatever would be uncovered
in an ordinary oven can also be left uncovered in a
microwave oven.
TURNING
Medium-sized items, such as hamburgers and steaks,
should be turned over once during cooking, in order
to shorten the cooking process. Large items, such as
roasts and chickens, must be turned, since the upper
side receives more microwave energy and could dry
out if not turned.
STANDING TIME
Keeping to the standing time is one of the most
impor tant rules with microwaves. Almost all
foods, which are thawed, heated or cooked in
the microwave, require a certain amount of time
to stand, during which temperature equalisation
takes place and the moisture in the food is evenly
distributed.
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2011-03-18 21:04:35
2011-03-18 21:04:35
