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Rules and general suggestions for
using the oven
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 indirectly by meansof 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 contrast
to traditional methods, cooking in a microwave
foodstuffs are less dehydrated, lose less of their
nutritional 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 period during which the food must
be left to “rest” after being cooked so as to allow an
even greater spreading 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 overturned plate. Then, too, 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
cooking has finished.