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TIPS FOR GOOD COOKING
Please read this section in conjunction with the Safety
Guide.
Stir liquids and purees before during and after
•
cooking to distribute the heat evenly. Mashed
potato will cook more evenly and more thoroughly
if lightly covered.
Never tightly cover food. Always cover it loosely.
•
Do not allow plastic film to touch food as it may
•
chemically break down or melt or even catch fire
and contaminate the food.
Arrange food in the dish so that the thicker part is
•
on the outside and the thinner part inside for more
even cooking. Fold under the thin edges of fish
fillets and tapered foods.
6-7 minutes per 500 gr. will cook most fruit and
•
vegetables. Seafood takes less time.
Different foods require different temperatures to
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cook. Add more minutes as you drop the power.
Up to 20% of the cooking takes place after the oven
•
turns off so always remember that your food will
continue cooking after you’ve removed it.
Food that takes an hour in to cook in a regular oven
•
should take around 15 minutes in the microwave.
Foods with baking powder should stand a few
•
minutes before cooking to allow the leavening
agents to work.
If a recipe calls for milk and water, reduce the
•
water.
Rotate large items of food occasionally during
•
cooking to encourage even heat distribution.
Food cooks best and reheats better in a round dish
•
or a dish with curved sides.
Salt attracts microwaves. Don’t just sprinkle it on
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food before cooking, stir it in or add it later.
Fats and sugars attract microwaves - thoroughly mix
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sugar with other ingredients. Care should be taken
when cooking foods with high sugar or fat contents
as they can reach very high temperatures.
Handle pastry-wrapped foods like mince pies
•
carefully as the filling gets hotter than the pastry.
Hints for reheating food
Heat leftovers and pre-cooked food to at least
•
70°C. Food should be hot and steaming before it is
served.
When re-heating liquids such as meat stews see that
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the liquid boils for around 3-5 minutes to ensure the
pieces of meat are completely heated through.
Hints for defrosting
Only defrost food in the microwave if you plan to
•
cook the food immediately after it has thawed.
Some areas of the food may begin to cook during
defrosting, which can allow bacteria can flourish.
Do not cook defrosted raw meat in a microwave
oven.
Remove the food from the wrapping, place it on a
•
microwave safe dish. Rotate and re-arrange food
during defrosting. Where appropriate, stir the food
and if possible, separate the food items and remove
those which have already defrosted.
Steam and Smoke
Steam: Steam is a natural product of microwave
•
cooking. It escapes from the vents in the top and
rear of the appliance. These vents should never be
blocked. Steam may condense in and around the
oven during cooking and should be dried off after
use.
Smoke: If during cooking, smoke starts to come from
•
the oven do NOT open the oven door! Immediately
switch off at the mains, unplug the oven and wait
for the smoke to completely subside and the oven
to fully cool down before removing the food. Before
you use your microwave oven again, consult a
service technician and have the oven tested .
Testing Your Oven
Place a cup of water in the oven and heat it on full power
for 1 minutes. If the water gets hot the oven is working.
Dim Oven Light
During low power microwave cooking the oven light may
appear to dim slightly. This is normal and not a cause for
concern.
If the oven fails to work or will not respond to
commands.
Unplug the oven and inspect the plug fuse. If this is intact,
leave the oven for 30 minutes and then plug the oven in
again. The oven should now work normally.
