1.
THE
ARRANGEMENT
Arrange foods carefully
. Place thickest areas toward outside of dish.
3.
COVERING
Cover foods in the microwave if you would normally cover the food in
your ordinary oven, or to retain moisture. Cover foods such as V
egetables,
Casseroles, or when Reheating.
Use to cover foods:
5.
SHIELDING
Shield using small pieces of aluminium foil to shield thin areas of meat, fi
sh
and poultry or edges of cakes to prevent overcooking.
7.
STIRRING
Stir foods from the outside to the centre of the dish, once or twice during
cooking if possible.
Eg. Casseroles and Sauces.
9.
DENSITY
The depth to which microwaves penetrate food varies depending on the
food's density
. Porous foods like minced beef or mashed potatoes microwave
faster than dense ones like steak or whole potatoes.
11.
ST
AR
TING
TEMPERA
TURE
Frozen or refrigerated foods take longer to heat than food at room temperature.
Cooking times in this book are based on normal storage temperatures. Since
rooms, refrigerators and freezers differ in temperature, check cooking result
at the minimum time.
13.
CONDENSA
TION
Condensation is a normal part of microwave cooking. The humidity and
moisture in food will infl
uence the amount of condensation in the oven.
Generally
, covered foods will not cause as much condensation as uncovered
foods. Ensure that the ventilation openings are not blocked.
TOMA
TO
EGG
L
E
W
O
T
R
E
P
A
P
DI
L
PLASTIC WRAP
FISH
CHICKEN
2.
TURNING
Foods such as poultry and joints of meat should be turned over after half the
cooking time.
4.
PIERCING
Pierce potatoes, eggs, tomatoes or any foods with a skin or membrane to
allow steam to escape.
6.
ST
ANDING
TIME
Standing time is important. After cooking or defrosting ensure adequate
standing time. This allows the food to continue cooking or heating.
Refer to cooking guides for each menu or according to manufacturers
instructions.
8.
SIZE
Small pieces cook faster than large ones. T
o speed up cooking, cut pieces
smaller than 5 cm so microwaves can penetrate to the centre from all sides.
For even cooking, make all the pieces the same size.
10.
F
A
T AND BONE
Marbling within meat, or a thin, even layer of fat on a roast, speeds cooking.
Large fatty areas or excess drippings in dish attract energy away from meat,
and slows cooking. Centre bones do not affect cooking, but bone on the
side of meat conducts heat to the areas next to it.
12.
QUANTITY
Microwave cooking times are directly related to the amount of food in the
oven. Because energy is absorbed by the food itself, one potato or a single
piece of chicken cooks rapidly
. When the energy is divided among several
items, cooking takes more time.
14.
GENERAL
Y
our microwave oven is capable of heating food and beverages very quickly
therefore, it is very important that you select the appropriate cooking time and
power level for the type and quantity of food to be heated. If you are unsure
of the cooking time and power level required, begin with low cooking times
and power levels until the food is suffi
ciently heated evenly throughout.
HELPFUL
HINTS
A-7
