1 THERE ARE NOT TWO MICROWAVES ALIKE, so cooking times may vary depending on the microwave. It is important to know how yours works with every type of food and check the cooking every now and then, especially the first times, shortening or adding more time if necessary. 2 LEAVE A RESTING TIME to finish cooking and to favour an even cooking, especially meat and fish that need shorter cooking times. NATIVE MICROWAVE In each corner of the globe, cooking methods and ingredients are constantly changing and passing down from generation to generation: cooking is an ever-changing activity. Therefore, Lékué works day in day out to provide solutions for healthy, quick cooking for everyone. Microwave cooking offers plenty of possibilities not yet exploited. In order to explore them and unveil all the benefits, Lékué has carried out an intense research with Alícia Foundation (www.alicia.cat), which has led to the launch of a full range of products under the name of Native Microwave; products that have been conceived and designed with the specific aim of giving the best of this cooking revolution. Following this goal of helping people make the most of microwave potential, Lékué has gathered all the information provided by the study into these 10 Golden Rules. As in traditional cuisine, microwave cooking is not an exact science and knowledge is acquired from experience, but these 10 easy tips will allow you to know the basics and succeed in microwave cooking. Enjoy and bon appétit! 3 4 ADD ONE OR TWO TABLESPOONS OF WATER or other liquids such as wine or oil, to generate more steam and /or aromatize; it will help you to improve the cooking process with vegetables as well as with meat and fish, which have shorter cooking times. The Steam Case tray is ideal for this function, because it moisturizes the food without having it soaked in water. IF YOUR MICROWAVE IS EQUI- PPED WITH A TURNTABLE, AVOID FOOD CONCENTRATION IN THE CENTER OF THE PLATE as far as possible and place the thick part of the food in the container ends. Distributing the ingredients in a homogeneous way will also help you to obtain a more even cooking.
5 9 FATS NEED MORE ATTENTION, they absorb more temperature and more quickly. It is important to control the cooking of foods that contain more fat, avoid placing them in the center of the turntable. For example, we recommend you to have special care with the egg, as the yolk has a large concentration of fat. 6 VEGETABLES COOKING TIME WILL VARY DEPENDING ON THE WATER THAT THEY CONTAIN. For example, spinach, tomatoes or mushrooms take less to cook than eggplants or potatoes. Also note that steamed vegetables have a more intense colour but that does not mean they are raw. INITIAL TEMPERATURE INFLU- ENCES ON FOOD COOKING TIMES, the cooler, the longer it takes to cook. 10 7 THE SMALLER THE FOOD, THE LESS TIME YOU NEED; is better to divide and cook in small portions to obtain a better result. Steam Case Waves Steam USE MICROWAVE-SAFE CONTAIN- ERS, as not all materials are suitable. Platinum silicone is ideal for microwave cooking, because it is transparent to the waves, which means that the parts not in contact with the food do not burn. Lékué utensils are specifically designed for microwave cooking. The steam case, for example, allows a perfect steam cooking of food due to its elliptical shape, which allows the waves impinge on all points and the steam is distributed evenly throughout the interior. 8 TIC TAC TIC TAC QUANTITY TIME RELATION IS NOT PROPORTIONAL; cooking time increases with the amount of food you want to cook. For twice as much, calculate twice as long minus 1 or 2 minutes. AND REMEMBER: knowledge of microwave cooking as well as traditional cuisine, it is not an exact science, but is acquired from experience.
MYTHS AND LEGENDS MICROWAVE COOKING ISN T SAFE. False: It emits low frequency radiation, also called non-ionizing radiation, such as radio or infrared waves. The World Health Organization endorses its safety. Ref. http://www.who.int/peh-emf/publications/facts/info_microwaves/en/ FOOD COOKS FROM THE INSIDE OUT. False: Emitted microwaves interact with the polar molecules in food, mostly water and fat, which begin to vibrate and generate heat, getting all the food properly cooked. Waves penetrate approximately 2 cm deep into the food. Ref1. http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm048953.htm#how- MicrowavesCook Ref2.http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Microwave_Ovens_and_Food_Safety/index.asp#3 MICROWAVE COOKING CAUSES A GREATER LOSS OF VITAMINS False: Microwaves don t have the ability to change the molecular structure of food. Moreover, microwave cooking retains better the essential vitamins and minerals, especially water-soluble vitamins (which are dissolved in water, such as Vitamin C), as it is not necessary to soak the food in water to cook and it requires shorter cooking times. Ref 1. E. Lesková et al. Vitamin losses: Retention during heat treatment and continual changes expressed by mathematical model. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 2006; 252 276 Ref. 2. P. Castells. Cocinar con microondas: una opción cada vez más habitual para las nuevas generaciones. Investigación y ciencia. 2012. Nº 432 ADVANTAGES OF MICROWAVE COOKING Microwave cooking has many advantages and features that simplify the step by step in the kitchen while favoring a healthy, balanced and fat free diet. HEALTH. Steam cooking allows food to retain better their nutrients and avoids the use of added fats. CLEANNESS. As it uses very few utensils and since it is almost grease-free cooking method, it is easier to wash. SPEED. Cooking times are shorter than in other cooking techniques, allowing you to save and gain time. SAFETY. There is no direct fire flame and the cooking stops at the established time, so it s a cooking method safe for anyone, even for children and elderly people. IT IS DANGEROUS TO BE IN FRONT OF A MICROWAVE OVEN WHEN IT S WORKING. False: Waves cannot pass through the metal walls of the microwave oven. The door has a metal mesh with holes between 1-1.5 mm in diameter, while the wavelength of the microwaves is 12 cm, so it is impossible for the waves to get through the microwave and it is completely safe for health. Ref.http://www.angel.qui.ub.es/mans/Documents/Textos/2013%20Els%20i%20 les%20microones.pdf
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