METERMicrowaves have long been associated with drab 1980s cooking, unsightly additions to home kitchens, and unhealthy prepared meals. But with skyrocketing energy costs, they are drawing increasing interest for their ability to cook food efficiently and cheaply.
Recent research by energy company Utilita suggests that microwaves are the cheapest way to cook, costing just 8 pence a day to use, or £30 a year, compared to 33 pence a day to run. a gas cooker, which adds up to £120 over 12 months. based on an estimated daily use of 43 minutes.
So what are the best dishes to make in a microwave?
Vegetables
Vacuum packed vegetables can be cooked in the bag using a microwave. Photograph: Reinis Bigacs/Alamy
Microwaving vegetables in a vacuum pack is one of the healthiest ways to eat them, as well as the best way to ensure they cook evenly, according to chef Jonny Marsh (@chef_jonnymarsh), who has worked with Panasonic as well as being a personal chef. to the footballers of the Premier League.
To prep meals, she recommends buying a roll of vacuum packs (available on Amazon) and leaving all raw vegetables (for example, sliced carrots, broccoli, or green beans) for the week.
If you remove all the air, the prepared vegetables will keep in the refrigerator for a week and you can take out a package every time you eat. Put the unperforated bag in the microwave, and one minute and 30 seconds later, your food is ready.
“I’m pretty lazy, I’ve been doing this for years,” he says, adding that prepackaged vegetables are especially welcome after a long shift.
If you can’t get vacuum packs, you can also microwave vegetables in a bowl with a little water.
One of the most popular microwave meals, baked potatoes take only 10 minutes to cook in a microwave compared to 90 minutes in an oven. Just pierce them with a fork first and add the ingredients afterwards.
Meat, fish and eggs
Fish cooks “extremely well” in a microwave, according to Microwave Mug Meals author Theo Michaels (@theocooks). If you cover it with cling film or a plate, the fish will steam itself and come out “soft, succulent and cooked in literally a couple of minutes,” he says.
The meat is a bit more challenging. Microwaves are generally better for steaming; making something crispy or caramelized, for example browning the meat, doesn’t really work, though Michaels’s best advice is to add a dollop of Marmite to bring back any lost flavor.
Alternatively, cook meals in a sauce or broth to poach the meat. This could include chicken pieces en passata or spiced coconut.
Michaels also cooks a Vietnamese phở this way: cook dry noodles in boiling water in a cup, add garlic and ginger, cook for a minute, then chicken broth, sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, sprouts soybeans and vegetables and microwave for another minute. Then place thinly sliced steak on top and allow to cook in residual heat. The broth and meat can be changed for vegetarian alternatives.
Vietnamese phở can be prepared by using a microwave to cook the rice noodles and soup before adding thin strips of steamed meat in residual heat. Photograph: Nguyen Dinh Luan/Alamy
He also has a surprisingly effective recipe for microwave cake. It involves cooking diced potatoes in a microwave safe bowl with a splash of water, mashing them with milk and butter, then cooking the onions and garlic separately before adding minced meat, flour, tomato puree, thyme, Marmite. and more water. Microwave the mixture for seven minutes (rising in the middle), stir in the gravy granules, then spoon the puree on top and serve with microwave peas.
Scrambled eggs are a favorite, says Michaels. Just be sure to take them out of the microwave before they are fully cooked to prevent them from getting rubbery. He recommends adding a teaspoon of mayonnaise at the end to make them more creamy.
And finally… cake
A microwavable chocolate brownie in a mug. Photograph: Brent Hofacker/Alamy
Now you may be wondering “what can’t microwaves do?” but the answer would not be cake.
You can make a decent sponge in the microwave, with the same ingredients as the oven version, albeit in different sizes. Recipes vary, though they all emphasize the need for a microwave-safe container — a metal cake pan, of course, could start a fire.
This recipe from The Guardian recommends that you avoid milk (it prevents it from getting soggy), and keep it high in butter and eggs, and use strong flavors.
Source: www.theguardian.com