This is to be read in continuation with my LG m/w review (lol)
Utensils : The best brands that would be suitable for using in a m/w are Borosil and Cutting Edge. I usually prefer to use yellow coloured vessels (though they don't look tht pretty) as we Indians use turmeric in most of our cooking, and i/o staining the vessel yelow its better to use the yellow coloured plate/bowl in the first place!! And its always advisable to use gloves when handling the m/w.
Testing :You may have been gifted by someone with m/w compatible vessels. If ur doubtful, u can always check how safe the vessel is buy filling it with water and running it in the m/w for say few seconds. The water shd get heated but the vessel shdn't. This is very important.
Now time for quick tips :-
(Temperatures shd be adjusted acc.to the brand used)
Let me start with sweets first.
1. Kheer:I have prepared semia and carrot kheer in m/w. For semia just coat the container with ghee spread semia and allow it to get fried in m/w for a minute. Then add milk and allow semia to get cooked in the milk. (sugar to be added AFTERtaking it out of the m/w). Same procedure for carrot kheer, except that initially u hv to cook the carrot in li'l water and then grind it in the mixer, add milk and allow the same to cook in m/w, then add sugar after removing from m/w. Cashew, eliachi powder and raisins can be used for garnishing and cahsews, raisins can be placed in a greased plate and roasted in the m/w.
2. Carrot Halwa (Gajar ka Halwa in Hindi??): This was the first thing I prepared I guess in the m/w. Grate carrots, mix powdered sugar and elaichi add milk little by little while it gets cooked in the m/w. Foer best results, the mixture shd be tken out from the m/w once in few minutes and nicely mixed with a ladle/spoon. This would ensure uniform cooking thru'out.
Now for some snacks:
Well, acc. to me for crispy snacks m/w is not the solution. I wouldn't venture out cooking pakoras in a m/w.
1. French Fries:Cut potatoes in the shape of FF. Coat them with salt, mirchi powder, asafoetida, haldi. Apply oil (slightly-I applied in excess and the thing started burning) and keep it in the m/w. In 5 minutes, u get not so crispy, but v.nice stomach friendly FF.
2. Stuffed bitter gourd/capsicum/Brinjal :Slit the veggies, fill it up with powdered cumin and corriander, salt, crushed pepper, turmeric and asafoetida. (u may wannt to add little jaggery for bitter gourd to ward off the bitter taste). Drizzle little oil and m/w the same till they become tender. The colour of the veggies will be retained and the taste would be much better than hob cooking.
addnl
For preparing sambhar/rasam, the best way to extract tamarind water is to m./w the same for a minute.
To be continued later........
