Melissa 253-007: TIPS FOR FOOD PREPARATION Preparation time Microwave power General information on cooking Important safety measures when preparing food! USING UTENSILS WHEN PREPARING FOOD

6. 

Once the cooking time set has elapsed, the oven will switch off

automatically.

7. 

A bell will ring and the light in the oven compartment will go out.

Setting

Microwave power

HIGH

100%

M.HIGH

85%

MED

66%

M.LOW

48%

DEFROST

40%

LOW

17%

Tip:

•

Cooking can be interrupted at any time by opening the oven door.

When the oven door is closed, cooking will recommence immediately.

•

You can change the power setting at any time during cooking by

turning the power selector.

•

You can extend or shorten cooking time at any point during cooking

by turning the time selector to the required number of minutes.

•

Once you have set cooking time, you can lock the time selector so

that the time cannot be extended by pressing it in until you hear a

click. To release the selector, press it gently until it pops out.

•

When setting cooking times of less than 2 minutes, it is easier to make

a precise setting if you first turn the selector past the 2 minute mark

and then back to the same point.

Important! Always turn the time selector back to 0 if you take the food

out of the microwave oven before the full time set has expired and

when not in use.

TIPS FOR FOOD PREPARATION

When preparing food in the microwave oven, the following basic rules

apply:

Preparation time

Smaller quantities of food cook more rapidly than large quantities. If the

amount of food is doubled, the preparation time must be correspondingly

almost doubled.

Small pieces of meat, small fish and chopped vegetables cook more

quickly than large pieces. For the same reason, it is recommended, if, for

example, you wish to make goulash, stews or similar, that the meat be cut

into pieces no bigger than 2 x 2 cm.

The compactness of the food is also very important for the cooking time.

The more compact the food is, the longer it takes to cook it. 

•

Whole joints require a longer cooking time than stewed dishes.

•

A joint requires a longer time than a dish with minced meat. 

The colder the food, the longer the cooking time needs to be. Food at

room temperature will therefore cook faster than food from a fridge or

freezer.

When cooking vegetables, the cooking time depends on the freshness of

the vegetables. Therefore check the condition of the vegetables, and add

or deduct a little time accordingly.

The short cooking time when using a microwave oven means that the food

does not overcook.

•

If required, a little water can be added. 

•

When cooking fish and vegetables, you only need to use the minimum

of water.

Microwave power

The choice of power setting depends on the condition of the food to be

cooked. 

In most cases, the food is cooked on full power.

•

Full power is used, among other things, for reheating food quickly,

boiling water or similar. 

•

Low power is principally used to defrost food and prepare dishes

containing cheese, milk or egg. (Whole eggs in their shell cannot be

cooked in the microwave oven, as there is a risk of the eggs

exploding). In addition, lower power settings are also used to finish off

and to retain the excellent aroma of a dish.

General information on cooking

•

If the whole meal is to be prepared in the microwave oven, it is

recommended that you start with the most compact foods, such as

potatoes. Once these are ready, cover them while the rest of the food

is prepared.

•

Most food should be covered. A close-fitting cover retains the steam

and moisture, which shortens the cooking time in the microwave

oven. This is particularly the case when cooking vegetables, fish

dishes and casseroles. Covering food also distributes the heat better,

thus ensuring rapid and excellent results.

•

In order to achieve the best possible results, it is important to position

the food correctly, as the microwave rays are most powerful in the

centre of the microwave oven. If, for example, you are baking

potatoes, you should position them along the edge of the glass

turntable so that they cook evenly.

•

In order to cook compact dishes such as meat and poultry evenly, it is

important to turn the pieces of meat a few times.

•

You can bake in the microwave oven, although not with recipes that

include yeast.

•

When preparing food with a thick skin, e.g. potatoes, apples, whole

squash or chestnuts, you should prick holes in the shell to prevent the

food from bursting during cooking.

•

When preparing food in a “traditional” oven, you normally avoid

opening the oven door as much as possible. This is not the case with

the microwave oven function: no energy or significant heat is lost. In

other words, you can open the microwave door and look at the food

as often as you want. Please note that this only applies to cooking

using the microwave function. When the convection and grill function

are used, heat is given off in the oven compartment.

Important safety measures when preparing food!

•

If using the microwave oven to heat baby food or liquids in a feeding

bottle, you must always stir the food/liquid and check the temperature

thoroughly before serving. This ensures that the heat is evenly

distributed and avoids scalding injuries.

The lid and/or teat must not be fitted on a feeding bottle when it

is placed in the microwave oven.

•

If some foods are heated too long, they may char and give off smoke.

If this happens, you should leave the door closed and switch off the

microwave oven completely.

•

Do not use the microwave oven for deep frying or pickling.

•

Some foods with low water content, e.g. chocolate in squares and

pastries with a sweet filling, should be heated carefully, otherwise they

or the container may be ruined.

USING UTENSILS WHEN PREPARING FOOD

Before starting to prepare food in containers, you should check that the

containers you wish to use are made of a suitable material, as some types

of plastic may become “limp” and deform, while some types of ceramics

may crack (particularly when heating small quantities of food).

In order to test if a container is suitable for use in a microwave oven:

•

Place the container in the microwave oven.

•

At the same time, place a half-full glass of water in the container. 

•

Start the microwave oven, and run it for 1 minute on maximum power. 

•

If the container becomes very hot to the touch, you should avoid

using it in the microwave oven.

When you prepare food in the microwave oven, you should preferably

use the following implements and materials:

•

Glass and glass bowls Do not use glass jars, etc., containing metal,

and be aware that certain types of glass are not heat-resistant. Test

them as described above before cooking.

•

Stoneware (glazed and unglazed). The food stays hot longer in glazed

stoneware than in other dishes.

•

Plastic containers These can be used for many heating purposes, but

are not suitable for roasting. 

Please note! Plastic containers made from melamine,

polyethylene and phenol must NOT be used.

•

Porcelain All porcelain can be used in microwave ovens, although

fireproof porcelain is preferable.

•

Fireproof covered dishes Glass dishes with lids that fit so closely that

steam cannot escape are ideal for vegetables and fruit to which no

liquid is added (however, the cooking time must not exceed 5

minutes).

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