Melissa 253-007 - Manual (Page 15)

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).
15
K4N_IM 23/06/05 16:33 Side 15