Do you dream of equipping your kitchen with the latest technology? Then find out what a new microwave can do! This convenient household appliance is in every home. But sooner or later it has to be changed. This is where the question arises: is a rather bulky microwave oven even needed in a modern kitchen in the presence of all kinds of slow cookers, electric stoves, electronic culinary gadgets, etc.? Take your time with the answer.
If you are used to using a microwave oven just to warm up and cook simple dishes, you should know that you are not using half the capabilities of your faithful assistant.
What else can a microwave do
It turns out that in addition to heating and defrosting products, this device can do a lot of useful things!
1. Cappuccino foam
The joy of the coffee lover is an airy and light milk foam in a cup of fragrant cappuccino. It is very easy to achieve this effect with a microwave oven.
Pour about 1/3 of the milk into the mug. Take a glass jar with a screw cap. Pour the milk from the mug into the jar, close the lid tightly and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Then remove the lid, put the jar in the microwave and heat at medium power for another 30 seconds. The foam will become dense with such heating, but it will retain its airy lightness — you can take it out and add it to coffee.
2. Freshly squeezed juice
Lemon or any other citrus fruit will give much more juice if you put it in the microwave before pressing.
Cut the lemon in half, put it in the microwave chamber and turn on the oven at low power for 10-20 seconds. The result will affect not only the amount of the drink, but also the complexity of the process: it will be much easier to squeeze the juice.
3. Low-fat bacon
If you adore fried bacon, but conscience and a healthy lifestyle do not allow you to eat it, a microwave oven will help to return your favorite dish to the diet.
Place a paper towel on a plate in at least two layers. Place several slices of bacon on it freely, so that they do not touch each other. Cover the top with two more layers of paper towels. Put the plate in the microwave and turn it on at high power for a few minutes: 1 minute for each slice. The clock control of the microwave oven will allow you to easily and accurately set the desired mode using a rotary switch. Most of the harmful fat will melt and remain on the towel, and you will be able to have breakfast with a light heart and great pleasure with delicious crispy slices.
Life hack: did you know that you can warm up or cook several dishes at the same time in the microwave? For this purpose, special devices have been invented-add-ons that make it possible to make a “second floor”. If you don’t have such a device, use a large plastic bowl to create an additional plane. Place one dish on a glass tray, cover it with an inverted bowl, and place the second dish on top.
4. Coconut popcorn
The fact that you can make popcorn in the microwave is not news. Supermarkets even sell ready-made kits for cooking this delicacy. But experts say: it is much tastier and healthier to cook such popcorn yourself. Then you can make it any — even coconut!
Take a paper craft bag and pour into it ½ cup of corn kernels. Add a pinch of salt and a little coconut oil. Carefully wrap the edges of the package several times. Put the bag in the microwave and turn it on for 3 minutes. If you want a hot treat to be ready for the very beginning of your favorite series, use the “Delayed Start” button. Place the prepared mixture in a bag in the microwave, set the time — 4-5 minutes before the start of the movie — and go about your business. The oven itself will “remember” when you need to cook popcorn, and will turn on at the right moment.
And if you are used to trust only yourself, then there is another sure way to determine the readiness of the product: by ear. When the interval between claps increases to 3-4 seconds, the delicacy is ready.
5. Disinfect the soil
To disinfect the soil for indoor plants, you will need a microwave and a paper bag. Moistened earth should be poured into a bag, the edge should be wrapped properly and heated in the oven for 30 seconds. at low power.
6. “Reanimate” mascara
Did your favorite mascara dry too quickly? The microwave will help give her a second life. The only condition: the bottle must be completely plastic, no metal!
Open the mascara, set aside the brush. Put the tube in the microwave, and next to it — a cup half filled with water. 30-40 sec. warming up at low power — and the ink can be used again!
7. Melt honey
If there is more than half of the honey in the jar, and it is already all candied, you should not throw away a useful product. Its useful properties have remained unchanged, it just doesn’t look very appetizing.
Remove the lid, check that there is no metal on the jar, including on the label — and for 30-60 seconds. in the microwave. Honey will become transparent and fluid again. But do not overdo it: you can not boil it, otherwise the product will lose its healing qualities.
Life hack: if you have a microwave oven with a grill, which you often use, then you know how difficult it is to clean it from the inside, and most importantly — get rid of the strong smell of fried meat or fish. But this is not a reason to give up such a convenient household appliance. An ordinary lemon will help solve the problem. Fill the cup half full of water. Squeeze ½ lemon into it and add a teaspoon of soda. Put the cup in the microwave for 5 minutes.
8. Fry nuts and seeds
In the microwave, you can easily and quickly fry nuts or seeds. The plus is that they almost do not need to be stirred, two times is enough.
Wash the nuts and dry them. Put on a plate in 1-2 layers, bake in the microwave at maximum power for 5-6 minutes. The duration depends on the number of nuts: the more of them, the longer it takes to cook. The benchmark for determining readiness is sound: if the nuts have started to crackle, you can turn them off after 1-2 minutes.
9. Wash quickly
If kitchen towels and napkins are not washed in any way and retain an unpleasant smell, a microwave oven will also help to get rid of this.
Wet a towel in warm water, rub it with household soap, paying special attention to stains. If the stains are firmly ingrained, pour a little citric acid on them. Put the towel in a plastic bag, without tying it, and place it in the microwave chamber. Turn on high power for 1.5 minutes. Then carefully remove it with tongs or a potholder, rinse in cold water and dry.
10. Neutralize the onion
It is not clear why so many still do not use this simplest method, which allows almost instantly solving the problem.
In order not to cry when cutting onions, peel the onion, cut off the top and bottom and place it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then take it out, let it cool down and start slicing. The onion will remain the same fragrant and delicious, but it will not make you cry anymore!
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