Cooki@Ikch@uesfor
Microwa*
Covering.Inbothconventionalandmicrowave
cooking,coversholdinmoistureandspeedheating.
Conventionally,partialcoveringallowsexcesssteamto
escape.Ventingplasticwraporcoveringwithwaxpaper
servesthesamepurposewhenmicrowaving.
ArrangingFoodinoven.Inconventionalbaking,you
positionfoods,suchascakelayersorpotatoes,sothat
hotaircanflowaroundthem.Whenmicrowaving,you
arrangefds inaring,sothatallsidesareexposedto
microwaveenergy.
Stirring.Inrangetopcooking,youstirfbodsupfrom
thebottomtohelpthemheatevenly.When
microwaving,youstircookedportionsfromtheoutside
tothecenter,Foodswhi~hrequireconstantstirring
conventionallywillneedoniyoccasionalstirring.
‘IWningOver.Inrangetopcooking,youturnover
foodssuchashamburgers,sobothsidescandirectiy
contactthehotpan,Whenmicrowaving,turningisoften
neededduringdefrosting,orwhencookingfads such
ashamburgersfromthefrozenstate.
StandingTime.Inconventionalcooking,foodssuchm
roastsorcakesareallowedtostandtofinishcookingor
set.Standingtimeisespeciallyimportantinmicrowave
coding. Notethatthemicrowavedcakeisnotplacedon
acoolingrack.
Shielding.h iiconventionaloven,youshieldchicken
breastsorbakedfoodstopreventover-browning.When
defrosting,youusesmallstripsoffoiltoshieldthin
parts,suchasthetipsofwingsandlegsonpoultry,
whichwouldcookbeforelargerpartsweredefrosted.
PrickFkMw
toRfhse Pressure.stetu’nbuildsup
pressureinf~s whicharetightlycoveredbyaskinor
membrane,Prickpotatoes@youdoconventionally),
eggyolksandchickenliverstopreventbursting.
Rotating.Occasionally,repositioningadishintheoven
helpsfoodcookevenly.Torotate1/2turn,turnthedish
untilthesidewhichwastothebackoftheovenistothe
front.Torotate1/4turn,turnthedishuntiltheside
whichwastothebackoftheovenistotheside.
I
Ifyouuseameatthermometerwhilecooking,make
sureitissafeforuseinmicrowaveovens.
I
EffectsofFbodCbxwteristicson
Microwaving
Densityofl%od.Inbothconventionalandmicrowave
cooking,densefoods,suchasapotato,takelongerto
cookorheatthanlight,porousfoods,suchasapieceof
cake,breadoraroll.
RoundShapes,Sincemicrowwespenetratefoodsto
aboutl-in.fromtop,bottomandsides,roundshapes
andringscookmoreevenly.Cornersreceivemore
energyandmayovercook.Thismayalsohappenwhen
cookingconventionally.
Delicacy.Foodswithadelicatetexturesuchascustards
arebestcookedat1owerpowersettingstoavoid
toughening.
Natural
Moistureoffoodaffectshowitcooks.Very
moistfindscookevenlybecausemicrowaveenergyis
attractedtowatermolecules.Fooduneveninmoisture
shouldbecoveredorallowedtostandsoheatcan
disperseevenly.
PieceSize.Smallpieces
cook fasterthanlargeones.
Pieceswhichmesimilarinsizeandshapecookmore
evenly.Withlargepiecesoffood,reducethepower
settingforevencooking.
Shapeofl?ood.Inbothtypesofcooking,thinareas
cookfasterthanthickones.Thiscanbecontrolledin
microwavingbyplacingthickpiecesneartheoutside
edge,andthinpiecesinthecenter.
Starting‘Ikmperature.Foodstakenfromthefreezeror
refrigeratortakelongertocookthanfoodsatroom
temperature.Timingsinourrecipesarebasedonthe
temperaturesatwhichyounormallystorethefoods.
Qtmntityofl%od.inbothtypesofcooking,small
amountsusuallytakekmtimethanlargeones.Thisis
mostapparentinmicrowavecooking,wheretimeis
directlyrelatedtothenumberofservings.
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