Melissa 653-071, 653-070 manual Operating the Microwave Oven, Tips for Food Preparation

Connecting the microwave oven

The microwave oven must be connected to a 230-volt AC current, 50 Hz. The guarantee is not valid if the microwave oven is connected to the wrong voltage.

Inserting the glass turntable

Before using the microwave oven, ensure the glass turntable (2) is correctly seated on its roller ring (4) and spindle (3). The glass turntable must lie on top of the turntable ring in the recess of the microwave oven base, so that the three studs on the turntable shaft fit between those on the base of the glass turntable.

OPERATING THE MICROWAVE OVEN

Cooking food

1.Open the oven door by pulling the handle.

2.Place the food to be cooked on the glass turntable and close the door.

3.Select power level using the power selector (7) (see table below).

4.Set the cooking time using the time selector (6). The time selector can be set to a maximum of 35 minutes.

5.The microwave oven will start cooking as soon as you turn the time selector. As cooking progresses, the selector will gradually return to 0.

6.Once the cooking time set has elapsed, the oven will switch off automatically. A bell will ring and the light in the oven compartment will go out.

Setting	Microwave power
High	100 %
M.High	77 %
Med	55 %
M.Low (also Defrost)	33 %
Low	17 %

Defrosting

1.Open the oven door by pulling the handle.

2.Place the food to be defrosted in a container on the glass turntable and close the door.

3.Select the M.Low setting using the power selector.

4.Enter the weight of the food using the time selector. The weight can be set to a maximum of 1 kg.

5.The microwave oven will start cooking as soon as you turn the time selector. As cooking progresses, the selector will gradually return to 0.

6.Once the cooking time set has elapsed, the oven will switch off automatically. A bell will ring and the light in the oven compartment will go out.

Tips!

•Cooking can be interrupted at any time by opening the oven door. When the oven door is closed, cooking will begin again 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.

•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:

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 that if, for example, you wish to make goulash, stews or similar, 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.

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