Getting to know the microwave
Jack adds, “I first tried microwave cooking because all of my friends had given up chocolate, wine, and sugar for Lent, and I wanted to challenge myself, so I immediately gave up my oven.” I went to charity shops looking for damaged editions of 1970s microwave cookbooks and set about them with passion.
The small blue box in the corner of the kitchen, which was previously used exclusively to resuscitate lost cups of coffee, now presents a whole new problem.
‘Like any new relationship, we had to discover each other’s peculiarities and flaws, and after many shattered eggs and soup volcanoes, we were finally understanding each other. My readers responded enthusiastically, thanking me for quick and easy meals with minimum washing-up, portable jars of lunch to take to poorly equipped office kitchens and shift work, and waking up the sleeping boxes in the corners of kitchens throughout the country.
What are the advantages of using a microwave?
- Microwaves may greatly reduce cooking time compared to conventional ways.
- They need less energy than ovens and hobs, resulting in lower fuel expenditures.
- They also help you thaw food swiftly and securely.
- If you have a digital microwave, you can specify exact cooking programmes and times, as well as variable heat settings on some models.
- Finally, cooking in a microwave prevents food from burning or charring, which is common when using an oven or frying pan.
3. Cut up bigger ingredients to speed up the cooking time.
Larger pieces of meat or bulky vegetables, such as potatoes, will cook significantly faster if cut into tiny sections and strips before microwaving.
4. Place food correctly on a microwave-safe surface.
Find a microwave-safe dish or plate and distribute the food evenly in a single layer. Because food cooks quicker along the dish’s borders than in the center, attempt to place the thickest section of
the meal facing away from the center if feasible. Microwave-safe plates should be labeled with an appropriate symbol; however, glass and ceramic dishes are generally safe to microwave even if not labeled.
5. Cover it with cling film.
When cooking items with a high liquid content, such as pasta, rice, or soups, cover with cling film and puncture to hold the liquid while allowing the heat to escape, avoiding messy explosions.
I place items like this in a bowl to collect any escaping fluids and keep the bottom of my microwave clean.
6. Do not overfill your container.
Liquid in the meal can bubble up or spray in the microwave, so either loosely cover it with a microwave-safe plate or place it in a dish large enough to accommodate this. Some cooks recommend putting the bowl or mug you’re cooking in on a second dish to collect any overflow.
7. Pierce for the ideal poach.
For the perfect microwave-poached egg, break it into a fat-bottomed cup and puncture the yolk with a knife or fork – this is critical. The yolk cooks quicker than the white, therefore keeping the membrane intact will force the yolk to try to escape under pressure.
When punctured, fry in three 30-second bursts over medium heat. If you’re cooking it with other foods, you may set it to high since the more things in a microwave absorb less microwaves and cook more softly.
9. Stir meal often to ensure equal heat distribution.
Microwave cooking isn’t even, because it agitates water molecules. These may not be equally dispersed throughout the dish, so cook in shorter periods and stir at least halfway through to ensure that the heat is disseminated evenly.
10. Do not tuck in immediately.
Microwaved food continues to cook for about a minute after the machine is switched off. So, resist the urge to consume right away and let the meal sit for a minute to allow the molecules to complete bouncing about.