The microwave oven is in, almost a necessity with large
families, yet cooking with it is something altogether
different than conventional cooking with gas, electric
burner or oven. But learning this art is worthwhile.
First of all, the radiation which it employs in the cooking
is more hazardous than oven heat, and demands extra caution.
Never turn your micro on empty and never put metal in it.
Microradiation is plastic- glass- and ceramic-friendly.
There are housewives who declare that even if it is used
only for quick defrosting, or for rewarming, for giving old
food a fresh taste - dayeinu. But why not make use of
its full potential? The rules are new, but worth learning.
Let's begin with some basic recipes sent in by S.Y.
RICE:
1 1/2 cups of checked rice
5 cups boiling water
salt, 1 tbs oil
Cook for 10 minutes in microwave and voila: perfect rice
each time
CUBED POTATOES
Cube peeled potatoes and toss with salt, paprika, one tbs
oil. Cook five minutes or until soft. Sweet potato can be
substitued for some of the potatoes. Mmmm!
NOODLES
Add boiling water with amounts written on package, salt.
Ready in 3 minutes.
STRING BEANS WITH POTATOES
Season with onion soup powder and salt. Ready in 5
minutes.
Some of the above need remixing in the middle of cooking
to distribute the heat.
And now on to more complex cooking:
QUICK MICROWAVE PIZZA
1 pita bread
1 tsp olive oil, salt, pepper
1 large ripe tomato
50 gr hard yellow cheese, grated
oregano, ketchup
Instructions:
Open up the pita (if frozen, defrost in the micro). Lay
open, inside up, sprinkle oil, salt, pepper, oregano. Lay
out tomato slices, ketchup, sprinkle cheese. Heat on low,
400 watt, for 2-3 minutes.
HASTY POTATO KUGEL
6 medium potatoes
1 large onion
2-3 tbs oil
1 egg
3 egg whites
salt, pepper
1 tbs oats or flour
Instructions:
1. Slice whole potatoes through with knife, microwave on
high until soft.
2. Peel while hot (with fork and knife), cool, grate
thick.
3. Mince onion and place in micro dish, mix with oil, cover
with plastic bag and micro for 5 minutes. Cool.
4. Beat up egg + whites with fork, mix with onion, add
potatoes, spices, flour. Set for a few minutes.
5. Oil a micro baking dish, sprinkle some bread crumbs on
top and dish in the mixture. Cook for 10 minutes or until
firm. Optional: grill to brown in regular oven for a few
minutes.
APPLE DELIGHT
4 large Grand apples
light raisins and/or dates, checked, nuts
2 vanilla sugar, sugar, cinnamon (mix)
1/2 cup water
Instructions:
Remove cores, leaving wide center. Wet apples and place in
high rimmed microdish. Put raisins etc. Sprinkle center and
contents with sugar mixture. Cook on high for about 12
minutes or until soft. Optional: add jello powder to sugar
mixture for red baked apples.
