Author’s Note
I have been using a microwave oven for 25 years, mainly to heat up leftovers, tea and coffee and
defrosting meat, poultry, seafood and bread. It was only when I was asked by Samsung to come
up with a collection of my favourite recipes and some diehard “sure shots” that I realized the
versatility and extraordinary potential of the new Samsung Microwave. Of course the model I
am now using also has convection cooking, grilling and two unique programmes which
combine convection and microwave, and grilling and microwave. Mine also has a spit roasting
option which, as the name suggests, is excellent for roasting and barbecue cooking since you
don’t have to turn the meat over. The convection + microwave mode is especially good for non-
vegetarian dishes, cakes and breads — recipes which require a more conventional method of
cooking. The microwave element just speeds up the process. The microwave + grill combo
which I especially like, is ideal for baked pasta or anything which needs browning or a quick
colour. I have had enormous fun trying out both everyday dishes from my kitchen as well as
quite complicated recipes which become infinitely more simple in the microwave. A couple of
revelations which I am now going to use in my daily cooking are: steaming vegetables either
fresh or frozen. This is both easy and healthy, and consumes much less time and fewer utensils
than conventional boiling, steaming or blanching. I also discovered that the cooking of non-
vegetarian dishes, especially chicken and seafood is again both quick and effortless as well as
being enormously effective in the microwave. Baking has also been a huge surprise! For everyday
Indian cooking, I found idlis, upma, sheera and dhokla a complete “piece of cake” in the
microwave. Let’s not forget the amount of utensils, cutlery and crockery that you save on when
you cook in one glass dish. I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience and I hope the Samsung
Microwave makes a difference to your cooking as it has done in mine.
By the way, I also found that the male members of my household were extremely attracted by
the Samsung high tech look and feel and were, therefore, easily encouraged to use it. This is
clearly a step in the right direction. I’m sure other women will agree!
Karen Anand