Kitchen tip: Microwave hacks every cook should know
“You might just be amazed by what you can, nay should, nuke in the kitchen,” said Niki Achitoff-Gray in SeriousEats.com. Microwave ovens have a special ability that a conventional oven can’t match:
They cook not from the outside in, but by exciting the food’s internal water molecules, cooking the food more quickly and evenly. Though you won’t want to cook a steak in the microwave, there are plenty of tasks for which it’s the perfect kitchen tool. The examples below “will put even the most adamant skeptics in their place.”
For drying herbs: Worried about preserving leftover fresh rosemary, parsley, or other herbs? Spread them on a plate lined with a paper towel, cover with another paper towel, and zap for 1 minute, followed by 20-second bursts until fully dry. Store the dried herbs whole, or grind them.
For frying garlic or shallots: Put sliced garlic or shallots in a microwave-safe bowl with a neutral oil and cook 5 minutes. Stir, then cook in 1-minute increments until golden and strain for a crispy salad garnish.
For toasting nuts and seeds: Forget preheating the oven. Toss pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, or virtually any other nut in a bit of neutral oil and microwave for 1-minute intervals, tossing in between, until golden brown.
For steaming vegetables: To save a little time when you’re tempted to steam or blanch a green vegetable, cover it instead with a triple layer of damp paper towels and microwave on high 1 to 2 minutes, until fork-tender.
For corn on the cob: Stick an unshucked ear of corn in the microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes. It’s that simple.