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How does Microwave Oven help
cooking? |
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In normal cooking, the
food is heated by an external heat source through conduction or
convection. In microwave cooking, the heat is generated inside the food
itself. The principle of microwave cooking is that the microwaves cause
the millions of molecules to turn over and return very rapidly and to rub
against each other. The rubbing of the molecules together generates
frictional heat in the same way that the heat is generated when both hands
are rubbed together. This method of cooking is faster & economical. |
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Will MWO increase my
electric bills? |
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No. Microwave energy
penetrates food below the surface causing food to cook rapidly. MWO does
not need any pre-heating of the oven air. MWO generates heat directly in
the food, without first heating the cooking utensil. Hence, in most cases,
a microwave oven consumes less electrical energy to cook food than any
normal electrically operated cooking range that finally does not increase
electrical bill. |
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By any chance, do microwaves
destroy nutrients? |
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No, microwaves do not
destroy nutrients in food when compared with other methods of cooking.
They do destroy harmful bacteria through normal cooking. |
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What type of utensils can be
used in a Microwave oven? |
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One can use Ceramic,
Chinaware, Porcelain, Glass, Thermoplastic wares, and Aluminum foils. The
utensils should not have any metal trimmings or decoration.
The above said timings are at maximum power levels of Microwave, the
electricity consumption decreases correspondingly with lower power levels,
which please note. Like most appliances, it is better to safeguard your
MWO against wide voltage fluctuations and hence use a stabilizer of 1.5
KVA or so. This will also ensure exact cooking time. |
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How is microwave reheating
different? |
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Surplus/leftover food can
be reheated quickly without losing its original flavor or taste therefore,
maintaining its freshness. In addition, food that was cold & tasteless can
be made hot and tasty in a few minutes in a MWO. |
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Can my oven be operated
without the turntable? |
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No. Godrej microwave ovens are designed to
operate with the turntable in its place. |
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Can turntable in the oven
reverse direction? |
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Yes. The turntable of MWO is expected to
reverse its direction at random intervals. |
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How much time is required to
cook on a microwave? |
Microwave cooking is very fast when compared
with conventional cooking.
For servings i.e. (250-300 g), see the table.
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Type |
Time required to cook |
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Rice |
15 20 minutes |
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Vegetables |
7 15 minutes |
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Dal items |
25 35 minutes |
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Continental |
3 25 minutes (as per style/dish) |
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Sweets |
15 30 minutes |
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Chicken / meat items |
15 35 minutes |
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Fish items |
7 15 minutes |
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What types of dishes can be
cooked in a microwave oven? |
You can easily make following food varieties
in MWO
- Rice items pulao, biryani ( any type
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- All types of vegetables and dals
- Mutton curry, fry, masala, kheema
- Chicken tikka, stew curry, fry,
tandoori
- Fish & other seafood curry, steak,
tandoori
- Sweets halwa, kheer, payasam
- Snacks patties, omelets, upma, poha,
pizza, & rolls
- Continental lamb stew, mushroom
soup, pudding custard etc.
- Cakes
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Does Microwave oven emit
radiation that is harmful to health / causes cancer? |
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Microwave oven is a
non-ionizing appliance, that does not change the physical and chemical
properties of food, and it only heats the same.
Microwaves when exposed to the food get completely absorbed that help in
heating / cooking the food. The heat is generated by causing friction
between the microwaves and the food molecules. The microwaves are
completely converted into heat and there is nothing left behind, in the
food. Microwaves are just another form of energy and hence are safe, not
harmful. |
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Will MWO be damaged if
operated without food inside? |
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A microwave oven should
not be operated without food or liquid inside to absorb the microwave
energy. It is not likely that an oven that has been operated for a short
time while it is empty will be damaged. However, it is advised to stick on
to the instructions given in the user manual. |
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Why does accumulation of
moisture inside the oven is seen, on certain occasions, after cooking
food? |
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Condensation is a normal
phenomenon or result of the cooking process. When the food that has high
water content is cooked, the condensation is significantly visible.
Condensation may be more noticeable during the periods when the weather is
humid. |
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How to set "Medium Power"
that is recommended for the recipe, on a MWO? |
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It is possible to set a
choice of power levels on your Godrej MWO. Refer to the user manual for
the section titled, "TO SET POWER LEVEL" for the specific setting steps.
Medium setting means a 50% power level. Please see the chart in the user
manual comparing the percent of power that can be set for variety of foods
cooked in MWO. |
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Aluminum being metal, is it
safe to use aluminum foil in the microwave oven, as stated in the user
manual? |
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Small, narrow strips of
very thin aluminum foils are suggested for protecting the part of food
that appear to be cooking or defrosting more quickly than the rest of the
food item, e.g., the tips of the wings of a chicken or the edge of a
roast, steak, etc. This limited use of Aluminum foil is safe inn MWO. |
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What should I do if someone
overcooks the popcorn in MWO and there is a long lasting odor? |
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Most strong food odors
can be removed by placing a mixture of 3 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of
lemon juice and 10-12 cloves in MWO and bringing it to a rolling boil.
Allow the mixture to cool on its own in the oven without opening its door.
The steam generated therein will help to remove the odor. |
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How should I clean the
inside of my oven? |
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Cleaning is easy because
little heat is generated to the interior surfaces; so, there is no baking
and setting of spills or spraying. To clean the interior surfaces, wipe
with a soft cloth and warm water. Do not use abrasives or harsh cleaners
or scouring pads. In case of heavier soil, use baking soda or a mild soap
and rinse thoroughly with hot water. As a part of basic precaution, one
should take care and ensure that nothing falls inside MWO. |
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Can microwaves leak
radiation? |
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Normally MWOs do not leak radiation. Old or
faulty door seals are the most common causes of microwave radiation
leakage. Mechanical abuse, collection of dirt, or simple wear and tear of
continued use can cause door seals to be ineffective. |
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What is ideally suggested
shape of microwave dishes? |
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Round and ring shaped
dishes give the most even cooking results. In addition, since microwaves
penetrate to a depth of 20 to 35 mm, shallow and straight-sided containers
are better. In other words, round, shallow and straight-sided dishes are
ideal for microwave cooking. |
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Why does the utensil remain
cool in MWO? |
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Microwaves are able to
pass through most materials except metals. (Refer to user manual -
Cookware). If the material of utensil can transmit the microwaves without
absorbing them, it remains cool. Heat is created in food itself so, as
cooking progresses, it may become warm, as heat is conducted from the
cooked food to the utensil by conduction. Hence in comparison to normal
cooking the utensil will remain cool in MWO. |
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Do microwaves interfere with
the functioning of other electronic appliances? |
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Normally they do not
interfere. The Bureau of Indian Standards have set the required frequency
of microwave ovens at 2450 MHZ, which does not interfere with radio, T.V
or F.M broadcasting, as their features are different. |
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How can a microwave food be
more nutritious than food cooked in conventional manner? |
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The nutritive value of
food consumed is determined to a large extent by the method and duration
of cooking. Vitamins and the other nutrients deteriorate with time at high
temperature. Hence, important losses of nutrients occur in conventional
heating of foods, especially in frying and cooking over long periods.
Microwave heating is a rapid heating method, which has a potential benefit
for the heatable nutrients. Since it requires very little or no cooking
liquid, it enhances the retention of water-soluble nutrients. It does not
use metal cooking utensils, hence eliminating the presence of trace
metals. |
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Working of Microwave |
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Like a radio station in
the air, magnetron tube of MWO into an oven cavity sends microwaves.
Inside the oven, they "bounce around" to give even cooking.
Microwaves "bounce-off
of the metal. Hence, we cook in a round or six-sided box to avoid their
moving out into the room. This makes all very safe to use. The microwaves
pass through plastic or glass, like sunshine goes through a windowpane,
with no effect at all. Therefore, we cook in utensils made from these
types of materials. The microwaves are attracted, like magnets, to the
fat, sugar, and water within the food. Water molecules are very good
absorbers of microwaves, sugar, and fat are better and salt is best.
Therefore, foods high in fat, sugar, and salt will cook faster and get
hotter than foods made up primarily of water like vegetables.
Microwaves penetrate the
foods about 20-30 mm in all directions (top-bottom and sides) causing the
water molecules to move and vibrate against one another at the rate of 2ฝ
billion times per second. It may be noted that the microwaves do not
actually cook the food but the friction caused by the vibrating molecules
produce the heat. Microwaves do not actually touch most of the food they
cook. The heat from the vibrating molecules on the outer edges of the food
must go somewhere. It is by "conduction" this heat moves inward, layer by
layer, to cook the food. Therefore, cooking larger, denser foods starts on
the edges and heat is conducted to the center.
Stirring helps food to cook more uniformly as it redistributes heat from
the outer layers of the food to the inner layers. Arrangement of the food,
the style of dish (round vs. square), denseness of food, etc. affect in
microwave cooking. |
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