How to use your microwave oven right: Dos and don’ts

The advent of microwave oven has ushered in a paradigm shift in cooking as it helps in whipping up a breakfast, lunch or dinner in no time. The ovens can not only be used to cook and reheat dishes without any hassles, but also to reduce the usage of cooking oil. Though most of the households boast of microwave ovens, most of the people don’t know how to use the oven the right way. Here are a few tips on how to cook with an oven efficiently and safely.

Know oven-friendly containers
It is noteworthy that all containers and utensils in the kitchen are not oven-safe. Never ever use metal containers for cooking in an oven, instead use glass and ceramic containers. If low-quality plastic containers are used, the chances of the oven catching fire are high. Make it a point to select containers with ‘microwave safe’ tags.

Minimal use of water
Ensure to use minimum amount of water while cooking in an oven. If the dish has to be cooked with lots of water, cook it in stages. A point to be noted is that you have to avoid cooking dishes that need lots of water in an oven as that can result in loss of valuable time and electricity.

Uniform size
The vegetables should be cut to small-sized pieces that too in a uniform way. Tightly sealed containers can burst inside the oven with the steam build-up. If certain things are heated for a long period of time, there is high chance of oven catching fire. The containers made of metal conductors should be avoided as they would act as a heat coil when the oven is heated, which can result in major accidents.

Mix periodically
Mix the food items being cooked periodically so that the heat spreads uniformly.

Don’t keep oven open
Don’t keep the door of the oven open while operating it. The present-day ovens have the interlock system whereby the ovens won’t run if their doors are kept open. The oven will start working only if it is locked properly.

Where oven should be kept
The oven should be placed on a solid surface away from the kitchen sink. It should also be kept at a distance from other cooking stoves. The space between oven and the above surface should be at least 30cm to ensure proper air circulation.