Melissa ide line 753-121 - Manual (Page 20)

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Cooking using auto menu
The microwave oven has 8 auto menu programs used for different food types (see
auto menu list (m) on the microwave oven control panel (10) or the table below).
1. Press the
Auto Function (k) button until the display shows the desired auto
menu programme.
2. The relevant indicators and AUTO indicator will light.
3. Press the
Weight (l) button until the required weight/number (interval of weights/
numbers can vary from program to program) is shown. The gram symbol will
light at the same time.
4. The microwave oven will automatically calculate the cooking time based on auto
menu and weight/number selected.
5. Press the Start button to commence cooking.
6. The microwave indicator will start to flash, the AUTO indicator will light and the
display will show the remaining time.
Example:
To set the microwave oven to cook an 800 gram chicken:
1. Press
Auto Function four times until the display shows A4.
2. Press Weight three times until the display shows 800 g.
3. Press the Start button to commence cooking.
4. The indicators will begin to flash and the display will switch to show the
remaining time.
CHILD SAFETY LOCK
The child safety lock prevents small children from using the microwave oven. The
microwave oven cannot be operated as long as the child safety lock is active. The
child safety lock is activated by simultaneously pressing the
10 Min and 10 Sec
buttons. A beep will be heard, and the display shows a key symbol. The child safety
lock is deactivated in the same way.
TIPS FOR FOOD PREPARATION
When preparing food in the microwave oven, the following basic rules apply:
Cooking time
Smaller quantities of food cook more rapidly than large quantities. If the amount of
food is doubled, the preparation time must be more than doubled correspondingly.
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 skin 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 a microwave oven: no
energy or significant heat is lost. In other words, you can open the oven door
and look at the food as often as you want.
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 oven door closed and switch off the microwave
oven completely.
• 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 15-30 seconds 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
• Stoneware (glazed and unglazed). The food stays hot longer in glazed
stoneware than in other dishes.
• Plastic containers. Can be used for many heating purposes. Caution! 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).
• Browning dishes. You must be very careful when using this type of dish. Never
heat the browning dish for more than 5 minutes on the turntable. Suitable
insulation, such as a heat-tested plate, should be placed between the browning
dish and the turntable to prevent the turntable from overheating.
• Microwave oven roasting film can be used, particularly for soups, sauces,
stewed dishes or when defrosting food. Can also be used as a loose covering to
prevent fat, etc. from spraying out into the oven compartment.
• Kitchen roll is ideal, as it absorbs moisture and fat. For example, bacon can
be placed in layers, with kitchen roll between each layer. The bacon will then
be completely crispy, as it does not sit in its own fat. Home-baked bread can
be taken directly from the freezer, packed in kitchen roll and heated in the
microwave oven.
• Wet kitchen roll can be used for fish or vegetables. Covering the food prevents
it from drying out.
• Greaseproof paper Fish, large vegetables, such as cauliflower, corn on the cob
and similar can be packed in wet greaseproof paper.
• Roasting bags are ideal for meat, fish and vegetables. However, they must
never be closed using metal clips. Cotton thread should be used instead. Prick
the bag with small holes, and place it in the microwave oven on a plate or glass
dish.
Auto menu program Indication in the
display Food item
1 A1
2 A2
3 A3
4 A4
5 A5
6 A6
7 A7
8 A8
Heating a meal
Rice
Vegetables
Chicken
Meat
Warming bread
Noodles
Soup