Guidelines For Cooking With The Microwave Oven; Suitable Dishes For Use In The Microwave Oven - Bartscher 610.181 Mode D'emploi

5.3 Guidelines for cooking with the microwave oven

Instead of traditional heat sources, a microwave oven applies an electron lamp which
emits electromagnetic waves. These waves, like radio waves, are invisible but their
effects can be observed. Such waves can pass through materials such as glass,
porcelain, artificial materials and paper. As these materials do not contain water, grease
or oil, they are not heated by the microwaves. Simply put, the microwaves directly reach
the food product, causing molecules of water, grease and oil to vibrate; friction results in
the creation of heat which is used for defrosting, heating or cooking. During cooking with
microwaves, heat remains inside the product being prepared, in opposition to the
processes of boiling or grilling in which heat enters the food from the outside. If the
device is not damaged, energy created by the microwaves remains inside the device and
does not pose a threat to the user.
•
Carefully place food products to be cooked inside the microwave oven, with larger
pieces at the outer edges.
•
Remember the cooking time. It is best to at first set the shortest possible time and
then lenghten cooking time as necessary. Excessive cooking time may cause the
food product to smoke or catch fire.
•
Cover food products during cooking. This will ensure even cooking and prevent
splattering.
•
Turn food products over while cooking. This will speed up the process of cooking
such products as chicken or hamburgers. Large products, such as a roast, should
be turned over at least once.
•
Such dishes as dumplings should, after half of the cooking time has elapsed, be
turned over, moved from the top to bottom, moved from the outside to the inside, etc.

5.4 Suitable dishes for use in the microwave oven

1. Check that a dish is suitable to be used in a microwave oven.
Test: place the empty dish together with a glass of water (never activate the
device when empty or with only an empty container inside), then heat at the
highest power level for 60 seconds. An appropriate dish will be lukewarm. If the
dish is hot, it is not appropriate for use in the microwave oven.
2. Proper materials for dishes for the microwave oven allow microwaves to pass
through. Energy goes through the container and heats the food product.
3. Do not use metallic containers or containers containing metallic parts (e.g. gold strips
around the edge of a plate). Microwaves do not pass through metal.
4. Do not use products from recycled materials, as they may contain small pieces of
metal. If such containers are used, sparks and even fire may result.
5. Dishes of oval and round shapes should be used, as food products cook more
quickly in the corners of square-shaped containers.
- 34 -