Caring for your Microwave *
•Always keep your microwave oven clean and handle it gently. Do not bang the microwave doors when shutting them.
•Do not cover the ventilation slots with cloth or paper. The cloth or paper may catch fire as hot air is evacuated from the oven.
•Never operate the oven when empty to avoid damage to the oven walls.
•Do not use metal containers, non-microwaveable plastic containers, chinaware with metal rims and recycled paper. Details given in section on Microwave cookware.
• For quick microwave clean-up, heat about 1/2 cup of water to boiling point. The steam will help any spills or stains to come off more easily.
•If your microwave is damaged in some way and there is leakage of the microwaves, stop using it immediately and have it checked by a professional microwave serviceman.
Handy tips and Quick fixes
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Dried Mint : Just place one cup of fresh mint leaves in a glass dish and microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes. Remove and crush them lightly.
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Popcorn : Just place half or cup of popping corn in a glass dish covered with a lid and microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes with 2 tablespoons of butter and salt.
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Roasting : Half a cup of cashewnuts or almonds when microwaved on HIGH for 1 minute and 30 seconds make crisper nuts. Papads and spices can be roasted by microwaving for only a minute.
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Blanching Almonds : Just combine ? cup of almonds with a quarter cup of water and microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes. Allow to stand for 2 minutes, drain and then peel the skins.
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Zero Fat Potato Wafers : Slice the potatoes thinly, soak them in ice cold water for about 10 to 15 minutes, drain and pat dry on an absorbent cloth and microwave on HIGH in a flat plate for 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp. Salt and spices may be sprinkled over later.
Effective Use
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Use heat resistant glass, ceramic, china or thick plastic containers to cook in.
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Cut the food into equal sized pieces to ensure that it cooks quickly and evenly.
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Covering the food, holds in the steam to keep the food moist, distributes the heat evenly and causes less splatter. Use close fitting lids or microwaveable plastic film.
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Some foods such as cakes and food with a crumb are cooked uncovered to promote a dry surface.
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Stirring curries, rice and vegetables during cooking is most effective in distributing heat.
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Whole vegetables like potatoes should be pieced before microwaving, as the heat generated during cooking creates pressure in the potato causing it to explode in the oven.
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If the recipe has standing time, be patient. It is important for complete cooking.
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Cook only one dish at a time, you will get better results and the flavours of each dish will be different.
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Always use oven mitts while removing food from the microwave.
*Tips for Eggless Cakes
*• Always preheat oven to the required temperature before placing the cake in the oven. Prick with a knitting needle or skewer to check if done. The needle should come out clean.
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Never keep the batter to thicken. The cake will turn out hard and dry.
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The cream used should always be chilled and beaten in sharp upward strokes to in corporate air. Never over beat.
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While making butter icings, beat the butter well to make it light and fluffy. Then add sieved icing sugar and beat again. Add 2-3 drops lemon juice; color and essence as required, and beat again.
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Turn the cake tin around between baking if the oven is not distributing even heat and the cake is baking unevenly.
Baking Tips
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For perfect shaped cakes , first grease the pan, then line it with greased waxed paper. After baking, invert pan and peel off the waxed paper. No more broken corners or edges!
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Muffins will slide right out of tin pans if the hot pans are first placed on a wet towel.
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Cracked Cake : Cracks and uneven surface may be caused by too much flour, or too hot an oven.
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To prevent nuts and fruits from sinking to the bottom of a cake during baking, warm them a bit in the oven and toss them with flour. Shake off excess flour before mixing them into the batter.
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Line baking pans with foil so that they’re a easy to clean.
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To prepare Self Rising Flour - Mix 4 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 tablespoonsof double acting Baking powder . Store in lightly covered can or jar and use soon.
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Put the appropriate amount of baking powder or baking soda to make a bread as too much of it may give bread a crumbly, dry texture and a bitter aftertaste. Worst come worst the batter over-rise, causing the bread to fall.
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To check if your baking powder is still active, add 1 teaspoon to 1/3 cup of hot water. If it bubbles rises it’s men it is still active and will give good baking results.
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For decorating cakes - Use a clean, squeezable mustard bottle .To work it on the cake just fill it with the desired color & then screw on the pointed tip.
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To cool a cake that has just come out of the oven, place the pan on a wet towel. The cake won’t stick to the pan if it’s cooled this way.
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Baking cakes - All the ingredients should be at room temperature and, when a choice is made between wet and dry ingredients, use the dry ones. Always use large eggs. Use Unsalted butter as it is far superior in taste and in quality. Never go according to the receipts for the Oven Temperatures as the temperatures vary.
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Peaked cake- Because of too much gluten being developed in the mixture or due to oven temperature being too high or by overbeating
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Sunken cake - Due to too much sugar, or due to too much of baking powder or undercooking in a low temperature oven.
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Stale cakes or pound cakes - Don’t throw it as they make a great trifle, or strawberry shortcake.The fruit juice of the pudding will moisten the stale cake.