General Advice In Microwave Cooking 

FOODS NOT SUITED TO MICROWAVE COOKERY

It is found that the following procedures are unsuccessful in the microwave. Cooking two food items from a raw state in layers.

Canning. This process requires prolonged high temperatures.

Deep frying. This cookery method requires a stable temperature for the oil.

Sterilizing baby bottles.

Reheating in narrow-neck bottles example: - tomato sauce bottles, for long periods of time.

Cooking choux pastry and others which require a crust to trap air.

Raw pastry and raw filling cook at different rates if cooked together. 

Large food loads example: - four chickens take a long time to cook.

Foods that have a high sugar or fat content and are thin. Microwaves penetrate the center and burn the food, while the surface appears normal, for example: - drop biscuits. However, careful timing can eliminate this problem.

HANDY HINTS AND TIPS

In your microwave oven, you can roast meat, stew, steam, poach, fry, sear, and sauté. There is also no need for double boilers. Because heat works on all areas of food at once in a microwave oven, scorching and lumping which occur as a result of concentrated heat (as with cooking on a conventional hotplate ) do not happen in a microwave oven.

Stir sauces and soups once during cooking or reheating to ensure even heating. Pierce foods the skin to allow steam to escape and prevent exploding or bursting. Bottles with narrow necks should not be used for cooking or prolonged heating. As the food expands, it may cause the container to break. 

Avoid overcooking food. As in a conventional oven, overcooking can cause it to burn, or just dry out. A few too many seconds can ruin food cooked by microwave, so it is best to cook foods at the minimum times suggested. Because the temperature of the oil cannot be controlled in a microwave oven, do not attempt deep frying. 

Use vessels that will easily accommodate the amount of food you are cooking. It is easy to test food while it is cooking in a microwave oven. 

As heat is instantaneous, the oven does not have to " reheat " after being opened. If foods are tested while cooking, you the can vary suggested times to suit your tastes. 

Shorten cooking time when using polyunsaturated margarine rather than butter, as the former reaches a higher temperature.

To enhance the flavor of red wine simply remove the cork and heat on HIGH for 40 to 50 seconds.

To blanch 100 g (4 oz) nuts, place in a flan dish, cover, with hot water, and heat on HIGH for 3 to 4 minutes. Rinse in cold water and rub between sheets of kitchen paper o remove skins.

To toast coconut, place 50 g (2 oz) of desiccated coconut on a plate and cook on HIGH for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To make buttered breadcrumbs, combine 100 g (4 oz) breadcrumbs and 3 x 15 ml ( 3 tbsp ) butter and heat on HIGH for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When heating baby food or formula, select HIGH for 15 to 30 seconds, depending on the amount of food or liquid and the stated temperature. Stand 2 to 3 minutes before testing temperature as heat increases during standing.

 For an added touch at dinner parties, steam your own hand towels. Saturate in cold water, wring and place on the glass tray. Heat on HIGH for I to 2 minutes.

To soften cream cheese or butter, place in oven on LOW for I to 2 minutes per 100 g (4 oz ). Refrigerated cheese can be heated to room temperature on LOW for I to 1½ minutes, depending on the type of cheese.

When having a barbecue, partially cook food in the microwave, season, and finish cooking on the barbecue.

To melt chocolate, place 100 g (4 oz) broken chocolate in a 600ml (1 pt ) glass jug and heat on MEDIUM for 2 to 3 minutes. As chocolate holds its shape after heating, stir and stand before adding extra time.

To remove oven odors, combine ½ lemon with 300 ml (1/2 pt ) water in a small bowl and heat on HIGH for 4 to 5 minutes. Wipe the oven interior with a damp cloth.

PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID POSSIBLE EXPOSURE TO EXCESSIVE MICROWAVE ENERGY

(a) Do not attempt to operate this oven with the door open since open-door operation can result in harmful exposure to microwave energy. It is important not to defeat or tamper with the safety interlocks.

(b) Do not place any object between the oven’s front face and the door or allow soil or cleaner residue to accumulate on sealing surfaces.

(c) Do not operate the oven if it is damaged. It is particularly important that the oven door closes properly and there is no damage to the :

1. door ( bent ) 
2.  hinges and latches ( broken or loosened )
3.  door seals and sealing surfaces

( d ) The oven should not be adjusted or repaired by anyone except properly qualified service personnel.

DO NOT USE YOUR MICROWAVE OVEN FOR CANNING

Canning and sterilizing of canning jars should NOT be done in a microwave oven. Home canning destroys mold. yeast, bacteria, and enzymes in foods to prevent spoilage.

Low-acid and nonacid foods require a temperature of 115 ° C which is above the boiling point of water. In canning 115 ° C is obtained by using a pressure canner set at 4.5 kilograms pressure (at sea level). Your microwave oven can only bring plain water to the boiling point ( 100 ° C ).

High-acid foods are processed in a hot water bath canner. The canning jars are covered by water which is kept at a rolling boil. Your microwave oven cannot duplicate this procedure. Since canning jars also need to be submerged in water for sterilization, it would be impossible to do this procedure in a microwave oven.

Improperly canned food may spoil and be dangerous to consume. We recommend that canning be done only on a conventional range top following standard canning procedures.

In addition, certain canning lids and rings may cause arcing in the microwave oven.

Also Read: Power/Time Programme Cooking In Microwave