13
General Guidelines
SHAPE
Even shapes cook evenly. Food cooks better
by microwave when in a round container
rather than square.
STARTING TEMPERATURE
The colder the food, the longer it takes to heat
up. Food from a fridge takes longer to reheat
than food at room temperature. Food
temperature should be between 5 and 8°C
before cooking.
LIQUIDS
All liquids must be stirred before, during and
after heating. Water espe cially must be stirred
before and during heating, to avoid eruption.
Do not heat liquids that have previously been
boiled. DO NOT OVERHEAT.
TURNING AND STIRRING
Some foods require stirring during cooking.
Meat and poultry should be turned after half
the cooking time.
ARRANGING
Individual foods e.g. chicken portions or chops,
should be placed on a dish so that the thicker
parts are towards the outside.
CHECKING FOOD
It is essential that food is checked during and
after a recommended cooking time, even if an
AUTO PROGRAM has been used (just as you
would check food cooked in a conven tional
oven). Return the food to the oven for further
cooking if necessary.
DISH SIZE
Follow the dish sizes given in the recipes, as
these affect the cook ing and reheating times.
A quan tity of food spread in a bigger dish
cooks and reheats more quickly.
CLEANING
As microwaves work on food particles, keep
your oven clean at all times. Stubborn spots of
food can be removed by using a branded
microwave spray cleaner, sprayed onto a soft
cloth. Always wipe the oven dry after cleaning.
