THE STANDING TIME
To improve cooking or defrosting results and to enable an even temperature distribution in the food, when cooking calculate the standing time.
*Remember that in a microwave oven food continues to cook even when the microwaves are turned off. It is no longer cooked by the emission of microwaves but by the conduction of the high residual heat in the food.
*The length of the standing time depends on the volume and density of the food. With very dense foods the standing time can be as long as 10 minutes. The food will finish cooking during this time.
ARRANGING FOOD
The best results are obtained if the food is evenly distributed on the dish.
In microwave cooking this can be done in different ways.
Several items of the same food (potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.). Arrange them in a ring pattern for uniform cooking.
When cooking foods of uneven shapes and thickness (pieces of chicken) place the thinnest or smallest towards the centre of the dish, where they will be heated last.
Uneven foods (fish) should be arranged with the tails to the centre of the dish.
Score the skin so that the fish do not break apart.
Protect the tail with small pieces of aluminium foil to prevent
Place meat steaks or slices on top of each other or interlace them. Thicker slice or sausages must be placed next to each other.
Gravy or sauces should be heated in a separate container. Choose a tall narrow container, rather than a low, wide one. Do not fill the container more than 2/3 full -
- 
THE TOOLS AND CONTAINERS TO USE
Cooking containers must be of a material which allows the microwaves to pass. Generally this means that you can use paper, plastic, glass, ceramic and porcelain container.
*Porcelain and ceramic containers are ideal for use in microwave ovens.
*Glass containers are suitable. Do not use coloured glass or glass with metallic decorations in the microwave, because e.g. gold decorations could be spoilt.
*Crystal container could break. Their use is not recommended.
*Plastic and paper containers can be used if they can withstand the temperature of the hot food. Plastic containers must withstand temperatures greater then 1200C
*Metal container, e.g. :casseroles, must not be used in microwave ovens. Microwaves cannot penetrate the metals. They are rejected by any metal object, producing sparks.
29
