Panasonic NN-C2000W manual Covering, Browning, Standing Time

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Microwave Recipe Preparation and Techniques

Covering

Covering food minimises the microwave cooking time. Because microwave cooking is done with time and not direct heat, the rate of evaporation cannot be easily controlled. However, this can be corrected by using different materials to cover dishes. Plastic wrap is the best substitute for a lid as it creates a tighter seal and so retains more heat and steam. Wax paper and paper towels hold the heat in, but not the steam. These materials also prevent splattering. Use a paper towel, wax paper or no cover, when steam is not needed for tenderising.

Browning

Meats and poultry, cooked longer than 10 to 15 minutes, brown from their own fat. Foods cooked for shorter periods of time can be aided with the help of a browning sauce, worcestershire sauce, or soy sauce. Simply brush one of these sauces over meat or poultry before cooking. Baked goods do not need long cooking time and therefore, do not brown. When cakes or cupcakes are iced, no one will notice this visual difference. For cakes or cupcakes, brown sugar can be used in the recipe in place of caster sugar or the surface can be sprinkled with dark spices before baking.

Standing Time

The moisture molecules continue to vibrate in the food when the microwave oven has turned itself off. After all, the molecules had been vibrating at 2,450,000,000 times per second during cooking. So cooking continues even after the food is no longer being exposed to the microwaves in or outside your microwave oven. Standing time refers to the time it takes (after the microwave time is completed) to allow the interior of the food to finish cooking. The amount of standing time varies with the size and density of the food. In meat cookery the internal temperature will rise between 5˚C and 10˚C if allowed to stand covered for ten to fifteen minutes. Casseroles and vegetables need a shorter amount of standing time, but this time is necessary to allow foods to complete cooking in the centre without overcooking on the edges. The power level used in microwave cooking also determines the standing time. For example, when using a lower power level the standing time is shorter because of a lower concentration of heat in the food. Foods should always be kept covered while standing in order to retain the heat. If a longer standing time is required (while you cook another food to serve with the first, for instance), cover with aluminium foil.

Converting Your Favourite Conventional Recipes for Microwave Cooking

When adapting conventional recipes for microwave cooking, reduce the conventional cooking time to one quarter or a third.

e.g. A chicken which takes 1 hour to cook in a moderate oven will take 15 to 20 minutes on a medium power in your microwave oven.

Use similar microwave recipes to help you adapt conventional recipes. Remember it is always best to undercook a recipe and then add an extra minute or two to finish it off.

Here are some other tips that may help:

●Reduce liquids in a conventional recipe by one half to two thirds. e.g. 1 cup should be reduced to 1/2 cup.

●Add more thickening such as flour or cornflour to sauces and gravies if you do not reduce the liquid.

●Reduce seasonings slightly in a recipe where ingredients do not have time to simmer by microwave.

●Do not salt meats, poultry or vegetables before cooking otherwise they will toughen and dry out.

●If one ingredient takes longer to cook than the others, precook it in the microwave oven first. Onion, celery and capsicum (green/red peppers) are examples.

●If meat or vegetables are not being browned before cooking, omit any oil or fat that would have been used for browning.

●Reduce leavening agents for cakes by one quarter and increase liquids by one quarter.

●Biscuits require a stiff dough. Increase flour by about 20 percent. Substitute brown sugar for white sugar, and use biscuit recipes that have dark spices or require icing. Because of the short cooking time, biscuits don't have time to brown. Chill dough for half an hour before baking. This produces a crisper biscuit. Bake biscuits on a glass tray lined with greaseproof paper.

●Since microwaves penetrate foods about two centimeters from the top, bottom and sides, mixtures in round shapes and rings cook more evenly. Corners receive more energy and may overcook.

●Items with a lot of water, such as rice or pasta, cook in about the same time as they would on a conventional stove. (Refer to Rice and Pasta

chapter.)

Select recipes that convert easily to microwave cooking such as casseroles, stews, baked chicken, fish and vegetable dishes. The results from foods such as grilled meats, cooked soufflés or two-crust pies could be less than satisfactory. Never attempt to deep fry in your microwave oven.

Cooking Guide

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Contents NN-C2000W Operating Guide and Cookbook Frenchs Forest NSW Table of Contents Before Operation Safety InstructionsInstallation and Earthing Instructions General Instructions General UseFood Cookware and Utensil Guide Microwaves and How They WorkBrowning Dishes PlasticsMetal Jars and BottlesMicrowave Grill Convection Combination Cookware and Utensil ChartCeramic Tray Feature DiagramTimer pad Feature Diagram Control PanelRecipe Prompting padSelect menu Set the weight Oven AccessoriesCooking Modes Heating Source MicrowavePlug Let’s Start to Use Your OvenQuick Guide to Operation To Cancel To Use Child Safety LockTo Set Clock Operation Guide on the ScreenMicro Power To Reheat / Defrost / Cook by Micro Power and TimePower Level Example of UseReheat by setting Power and Time -- Frozen Convenience Foods Turbo Defrost To DefrostDefrosting Chart by setting time Defrost by Setting TimePreparation for Freezing Defrosting TechniquePlace a heatproof glass or ceramic dish under To Cook on GrillLevel Convection To Cook on ConvectionTo Cook on Combination Convection & Microwave Select SettingExamples of Foods to Cook by Combination Mode Combination Foods Suitable Oven Micro Power SettingLevel To Reheat / Cook by Sensor Reheat / Auto Menu More/Less padsFor best results, follow these recommendations Frozen Reheat 200 g 1.2 kg Root Vegetables 125 g 1.0 kgFrozen Vegetables 125 g 1.0 kg To Cook by Auto Menu Weight Cook Auto menu 10Beef Rare Chicken and Baked Vegetables To set standing TimeTurn To Use Recipe Prompting Recipe To Use Quick Min. PadALL These Things are Normal Before Requesting ServiceKey to Symbols Used in Recipes Food CharacteristicsMicrowave Recipe Preparation and Techniques Techniques for PreparationCovering BrowningStanding Time How to Keep Everything Hot at The Same Time Menu Planning for Microwave CookingHandy Hints and Tips Boiled Egg Everyday BasicsScrambled Eggs Cheesy Ham OmeletteBacon Fried EggsTea CoffeeBoiled Rice MuesliGravy Cheese Sauce RBaked Custard Vegetable SoupPopcorn Packet CakeSoups, Snacks and Starters Pumpkin Soup R Potato and Leek SoupPita Chips Crispy Focaccia Fingers GCrab and Corn Soup Potato and Corn SoupSpicy Tomato Soup Mini Quiches CSavoury French Sticks Terrine de PorkNachos Supreme Nuts and BoltsFrankfurters Quiche Lorraine C MCSpinach Quiche MC Roasted NutsMini Pizza Lemon Pepper Chicken WingsCheese Straws C PâtéSpinach and Filo Pie C Vegetable Bake GLuncheon Egg Ring Food Grilling Setting Approximate Cooking Time in min Fish and Shellfish Grilling ChartFish and Shellfish Directions for Grilling Fish and ShellfishDirections for Cooking Fish and Shellfish by Microwave Fish and Shellfish Chart for Microwave Cooking by TimeSalmon Mornay G Sweet Scallop Stir FryCheesy Lobster Mornay G Salmon PâtéLemon Pepper Fish R Thai Fish Cakes GGolden Wrapped Fish C Seafood MarinaraBarbecue Fish Skewers G MarinadeSmoked Fish a Oysters Kilpatrick GGingered Whole Fish R Garlic Prawns RPoultry Directions for Cooking Whole Poultry by MicrowaveCooking Chicken Grilling Chart Grill Setting Approximate Cooking Time MinutesDirections for Grilling Chicken Pieces Directions for Cooking Poultry by Combination Poultry Chart for Combination CookingDirections for Cooking Poultry Pieces by Microwave Poultry Chart for Microwave Cooking by TimePepper Chicken Chicken Cacciatore RTarragon Chicken and Mushrooms MC Chicken and Potato CasseroleItalian Chicken Casserole MC a Coq au VinChicken Pie Chicken Rolls with Honey MustardApricot Nectar Chicken MC R Chicken Curry RRoast Turkey MC a Roast Herb Chicken R MCStuffed Roast Chicken MC a Roast Honey Duck Orange Sauce MC Chinese Chicken Wings GPlum Glazed Quails Camembert Chicken MCGrilled Sweet Chilli and Lime Chicken G Honey Sesame Drumsticks RPeanut Satay G Soy Chicken and Vegetables RWarm Chicken Salad Chicken Wings in Lemon Sauce GMethod To Cook by Microwave DressingDirections for Cooking Tender Cuts of Meat by Microwave Main Fare MeatsPoultry Power Approx. Cooking Time Minutes per 500 g Beef Meat Chart for Microwave CookingPork LambCombination Setting Cooking Time Meat Chart for Combination CookingDirections for Cooking Meats by Combination Combination CookingDirections for Grilling Meat Meat Grilling ChartLasagne Meat SauceSeasoned Roast Lamb R MC Rack of Lamb MCLambs Fry and Bacon Lamb and Mushroom Kebabs GLamb Chops with Spicy Sauce G Irish StewGoulash Chilli BeefYorkshire Pudding C Roast Beef MC aCurried Beef Loaf MC Corned BeefBeef Stroganoff Mini Meatballs GApricot Meatloaf Chinese Beef and Vegetables RBeef Bourguignonne MC a Beef Roll with Spinach Spring Onion StuffingPepper Pot Beef MC a R Herbed Beef and Mozzarella Roll-up MC CVeal and Pineapple Casserole MC a Tomato SauceItalian Sausage and Pepper Casserole MC Veal PaprikaCrispy Spinach Stuffed Pork MC Barbecued Spare Ribs GFresh Vegetables Vegetable VarietiesFrozen Vegetables Dried Beans or PeasFresh Vegetables Chart for Time Cooking Broccoli and Cheese Sauce Creamed Spinach aFanned Potatoes C Savoury Brussels Sprouts aStuffed Tomatoes FrittataTomato Vegetable Casserole R Vegetable Curry RCheesy Mashed Potatoes Cheese and Ham Filled Potatoes a RDuchess Potatoes G Mini Baked Potatoes R GHoney Glazed Carrots a Saute MushroomsPotato Casserole MC G R Tomato and OnionCorn on the Cob a Stuffed Capsicum PeppersCurried Creamy Beans Minted Peas aDirections for Cooking Rice and Other Grains by Microwave Rice, Pasta and CerealDirections for Cooking Pasta by Microwave Directions for Cooking Hot Cereal by MicrowaveMacaroni and Cheese Fragrant Coconut Rice RApprox. Time to Container Amount Boiling Water High Uncovered MinutesSeasoned Rice R PaellaChicken Risotto Rice Salad Creamy Bacon SauceSpaghetti Meat Sauce R Salad dressingPesto and Egg Noodles Pasta Salad aCaramel Banana Cake C a Cakes, Muffins and BiscuitsQuick Mix Chocolate Cake Vanilla Poppy seed Cake CChocolate and Coffee Truffles Mocha Carrot Cake MCRich Fruit Cake C Chocolate Fudge RBlueberry Muffins C R Banana and Pecan Muffins CApricot Pecan Muffins C Apple Spice Muffins CAnzac Biscuits C Lace Biscuits CChocolate Chip Cookies C Cinnamon Crisps CApple Slice Slices, Desserts and PastriesChocolate Brownies C a MC R Apricot Honey Slice RMuesli Slice Caramel Coconut Slice a MCLemon Coconut Meringue Slice a MC Honey Almond BrowniesHoney Oaty Slice MC a Speedy Chocolate Bit Slice C MC a RPeanut and Sultana Slice MC a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake MCZesty Cheesecake Apricot Cheesecake CHoneycomb Cheesecake Lemon and Pineapple CheesecakeChristmas Pudding Butterscotch Pudding a CStrawberry Mousse Baked Alaska Surprise C Chocolate Souffle CPavlova C Scones C Lemon Meringue Pie CApple Pie Peach Crumble R MCMicro Made Extras Chinese Sweet & Sour Sauce Mushroom SauceMint Sauce Hollandaise SauceSweet Apricot Jam Strawberry JamRhubarb and Berry Jam Orange MarmaladeMango Chutney Peach ButterLemon Butter Passionfruit ButterCare of Your Microwave Oven
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