The Internet Kitchen - Useful Tips

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Useful Tips

Ø To peel onions more easily, place them in a covered container and microwave for 1-2 minutes at 100% power. This will also help remove the "hot" flavor from the onions you wish to serve uncooked. For example, slices you may wish to use on hamburgers.

Ø To make ice cream easier to scoop, soften by microwaving for 30 seconds at 100% power. For a special treat, place a scoop of ice cream on "yesterday's pie". Heat for 10-15 seconds. The pie will be "fresh and warm" and the ice cream will not be melted.

Ø Fresh vegetable may be blanched in the microwave. Prepare the vegetables as desired (whole, chopped etc.) and place in microwave casserole. Microwave on HIGH power (100%) for 3-4 minutes per pound, covered, stirring or rearranging halfway through the time. Plunge immediately into ice cold water to cool. Drain, pack and freeze. Micro waved vegetables are healthier! More nutrients, especially Vitamins C, are retained when micro waved than when conventionally blanched or cooked.

Ø To cook Asparagus, Broccoli or Cauliflower, arrange with stems near the edge of dish and heads in the center.

Ø To loosen skin on a garlic clove, microwave on HIGH for 5 seconds.

Ø Mushrooms cook quickly. To avoid overcooking, as soon as the color begins to darken, remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes.

Ø To bake potatoes prick skin before cooking. Cook on HIGH, 3 to 4 minutes for one potato. After microwaving, wrap in tinfoil or tea towel or place in a covered casserole for 5-10 minutes. For crispier skin, place baked potatoes in a 100°C (200°F) oven for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Ø Less is Best! Use 30 to 50 ml of water (2 to 4 tbsp) per 500 g (1 lb) of vegetables as your cooking guideline. Use the larger amount of water for dense vegetables such as carrots, parsnips and retabagas.

Ø For leafy vegetables, cook with only the water that clings to the vegetable after washing.

Ø Cover the cooking container with microwave-safe plastic wrap or casserole lid. When uncovering a dish, always start at the edge farthest from you so that you won't be burned by released steam.

Ø Small sizes and small amounts cook faster than larger ones. Thin or diagonal slices have more surface area, so they cook faster. Same size pieces cook more evenly.

Ø Because food continues to cook for a short time after microwaving, allow vegetables to stand for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

Ø Don't salt vegetables during cooking as it may cause toughening and darkened, dry spots on your vegetables.

Ø Pierce the skins of whole vegetables such as potatoes or squash to allow the steam to escape. Failure to do so may result in "exploding" produce.

Ø Halfway through the cooking time, check the vegetables to see if they need to be stirred, rearranged or turned over to enable them to cook evenly. If needed, more vegetables from the center to the outer edge of the dish.

Ø Tender young vegetables contain more moisture than more mature ones and will cook faster with less water.

Ø If you cook several vegetables separately for a meal, cook the largest and most dense once first (e.g. carrots). They will hold the heat the longest. Keep the cooked vegetables warm in a 100°C (200°F) oven while you cook the others.

Ø The depth to which microwaves penetrate food varies depending on the food's density. Porous foods like minced beef or mashed potatoes microwave faster than dense once like steak or whole potatoes.

Ø Remember that microwave ovens cook from the outside to the center. So when arranging foods like chicken, fish or vegetables, place the thicker or denser portions of food to the outside, with the thinner, less dense pieces to the inside.

Ø Foods reheated in the microwave oven taste freshly cooked, not reheated. Suit the power level to the food. A bowl of leftover vegetables can be reheated at HIGH, while lasagne, which contains sensitive cheese and cannot be stirred, should be reheated at MEDIUM.

Ø Use the water drained from curdle milk to knead chappati dough. They will turn out softer and whiter.

Ø If fish is to be stored for more than a day, clean it, rub with salt, turmeric and if liked, a dash of vinegar before freezing.

Ø Use tissue papers for reheating fried snacks. E.g. samosa, vada, kachori, bhajji etc. The paper will absorb the excess oil and moisture and keep the snake crisp. Reheat on high for 1-1.5 minute.

Ø If garlic bread is not available, crush a few cloves of garlic to a fine paste, cream it well into some butter. Spread this on slices of bread and toast it. Serve with piping hot soup.

Ø Warm garlic flakes a little either in a microwave or on griddle before peeling, to make the skin come off easily.

Ø Sprinkle salt in tamarind before storing, to keep away the worms. Dry well in sun till a little stiff, cook indoors for few hours and then add salt. Add fish to a kilogram of tamarind. Store in airtight plastic or glass container.

Ø Microwave fresh mint till dry and crisp. Crush coarsely, mix some salt and chili powder and chaat masala. Sprinkle over freshly fried papads for that extra tang.