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Tips & advice
Time settings
In general the thawing, heating and cooking 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 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.
For heating and cooking, normal storage 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
All the times given in this book are guidelines, which
can be varied according to the initial temperature,
weight and condition of the food (water or fat content
etc.).
Salt, spices & 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 & 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 & 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 & 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 cling
film 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 a
conventional 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
important 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.
2. AG-21+22D-UK ENGLISH 20/05/2004 12:31 Page 8