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1.6 GENERAL RULES FOR MICROWAVE COOKING
Microwaves consist of electromagnetic radiation found in nature under the form of light waves (e.g., sunlight).
Inside the oven, these waves penetrate food from all directions and heat up the water, fatty and sugar
molecules.
Heat is produced very quickly only in the food itself, whereas the container being used warms up indirect-
ly by means of heat given off by the heated food. This prevents food from sticking to its container, so you
can use very little fatty substance or, in some cases, no fat at all during the cooking process.
Therefore cooking in a microwave oven is considered to be healthy and good for one’s diet. And in con-
trast to traditional methods, cooking in a microwave foodstuffs are less dehydrated, lose less of their nutri-
tional value, and retain more of their original flavour.
Basic rules for correct cooking with a microwave oven
1) In order to set cooking times correctly, remember (in referring to the charts on the following pages) that
when you increase the amount of foodstuffs the cooking temperature must likewise be proportionately
increased and vice-versa. It is important to respect the “standing” times: standing time means that peri-
od during which the food must be left to “rest” after being cooked so as to allow an even greater spread-
ing of the temperature within. The temperature of meat, for example, will rise about 5°-8° C. (approx.
9°-15° F.) during the standing time. Standing times may be observed either inside or outside the oven.
2) One of the main things you must do is stir the food several times while it is being cooked. This helps
make the temperature distribution more uniform and thus shortens the cooking time.
3) It is also advisable to turn the foodstuff over during its cooking process: this applies especially for meat,
whether it is in large pieces (roasts, whole chickens, etc.) or small (chicken breasts, etc.).
4) Foods having a skin, shell or peel (e.g., apples, potatoes, tomatoes, frankfurters, fish) must be
pierced with a fork in several points so as to permit steam to escape and to prevent those items
from exploding.
5) If you are preparing a large number of portions of the same food item (e.g., boiled potatoes), place
those portions in a Pyrex dish in order to have them cook in a uniform manner.
6) The lower the temperature at which a foodstuff is placed in a microwave oven, the longer the cooking
time required. Food having a room temperature will cook more quickly than food having a refrigerator
temperature.
7) Always do your cooking by placing the food container in the centre of the turntable.
8) It is perfectly normal for condensation to form inside the oven and near the air outlet. To reduce such
condensation, cover the foodstuffs with clear-sheet, wax paper, a glass lid or simply an over-
turned plate. Foods having a water content (e.g., greens and vegetables) cook better when covered.
The covering of food also helps keep the oven clean on the inside. Use clear-sheet made expressly for
microwave ovens.
9) Do not cook eggs in their shells: the pressure which builds up on the inside would cause the egg to
explode, even after cooking has finished. Do not heat up eggs which have already been cooked, unless
they are scrambled.
10)Do not forget to open containers which are air-tight or sealed, before heating or cooking food in the
oven. The pressure on the inside of the container would rise, causing them to explode even after cook-
ing has finished.