In the article below, we’ll explore how to cook vegetables in the microwave. Many housewives do not even suspect that you can use a microwave to prepare salads and other dishes that use boiled vegetables. If you still use an electric or gas stove, but understand that it takes too much time to cook, then this article will be very useful for you.
Taste
Even those who have heard that you can cook vegetables in the microwave (in a bag or in special dishes) sometimes doubt. As a rule, it is all about taste. Some believe that the taste characteristics of some vegetables may change if they are “shoved” in the microwave.
Let us turn to the reviews of experienced cooks and those hostesses who have long been practicing this method of cooking. All reviews highlight several positive points. First, of course, is taste. This is the first thing that bothers. By taste, vegetables that were cooked in the microwave are much tastier. They are somewhat reminiscent of products cooked in the oven. Juicy, without loss of taste and color. This is especially important when it comes to beets and carrots.
Convenience
People who know how to cook vegetables in the microwave are not burdened with the need to constantly monitor cooking. No need to remove foam, close or open the lid, set the oven temperature or constantly monitor the level of the gas burner. Microwave cooking eliminates all these nuances. Products just need to be properly prepared. The kitchen assistant will be responsible for everything else.
Dishes for microwave
How to cook vegetables for vinaigrette in the microwave? Which dish to choose for this?
As a rule, a housewife who has such an oven in her kitchen is the owner of special dishes. There are several options that you can use to cook vegetables.
- Glassware with a lid of loose fit. It can be any thick-walled container made of high-quality glass, which can be safely put in a microwave oven.
- Specialized packaging with a valve for steam.
- A plastic container that has a lid with a valve for releasing steam.
Potatoes
So, we proceed directly to cooking. We will tell you how to quickly cook vegetables in the microwave when using a glass deep plate with a lid. Let's do this with potatoes as an example.
Before cooking, be sure to wash the vegetables. Armed with a toothpick, make several holes in the potato peel. Do not be lazy and skip this step. Otherwise, the potatoes may burst and scatter all over the plate. For preparation, it is better to choose small tubers so that they conveniently fit in the container.
As for water, there are disputes. Some housewives pour a few tablespoons of water on the bottom of the container, while others cook vegetables in the microwave without adding liquid. Which method will be convenient for you - decide on your own.
Now about the cooking time. Even the most experienced housewife will not be able to say exactly how to cook vegetables in the microwave, indicating the time and power. After all, the microwave ovens that are in the kitchen are different for everyone. Here are a few "standard" examples that can be adapted to your kitchen unit:
- Power 1000 watts. In such potatoes it is cooked from 8 to 10 minutes.
- Power 750 watts. Potatoes are cooked from 12 to 16 minutes.
Carrot
Continuing to talk about how to cook vegetables in a microwave for salad, we will talk about carrots. Before cooking it must be washed with a sponge under running water. Using a toothpick, make holes in the carrot peel. To prepare this vegetable, we will try the second option - dishes with a lid having a valve for steam to escape. We send small carrots to the container, close the lid and open a special hole so that the steam comes out. This is done so that the carrots do not lose the elasticity of the peel, do not burst. Water can not be added to the bottom of such a container. The cooking time for carrots is exactly the same as for potatoes. It all depends on the power of the furnace.
Advice! Do not rush to start cooking. It is recommended to give the vegetables a little time to “proof”. They must, as they say, reach. If you cooked with water, then remove the vegetables on a towel, cover them with them, leave them for 5-7 minutes. If water was not used for cooking, then vegetables can reach in the dishes in which they were prepared.
Beet
This product, as a rule, makes housewives look for options and answers to the question of how to cook vegetables in the microwave quickly. We all know that beets always have to wait longer than others. This product takes a long time to cook, gives foam during cooking, requires attention and constant monitoring. If you use a microwave oven, the process is much faster and almost without the participation of the hostess.
Beets are washed, as is the case with other vegetables. To prepare it, we will use a baking bag. If this is not at hand, then ordinary cellophane is also suitable. Having pierced the vegetables with a toothpick, we transfer to the bag, add a little water, tightly knot. We put the microwave on a spinning plate.
- With a power of 800 watts, the beets will cook from 8 to 12 minutes.
- If this indicator in your microwave oven is 900 watts, then the cooking time is reduced by two to three minutes.
- Therefore, with less power (750 W and below) - add a couple of minutes. If the microwave produces 900 watts, then the cooking time will be less.
Advice! Knowing the power and functionality of your kitchen assistant, you can always calculate the average cooking time. This must be done in order to save even more precious minutes.
Knowing the time and power, you can cook all the vegetables for salads and vinaigrettes at the same time. This is very convenient if preparations are being made for the holiday, many parallel dishes are being prepared and the attention of the hostess cannot always be turned to the pan with boiled vegetables.
We just throw the washed products in a bag or in a glass container with a lid, turn on the desired mode on the microwave and wait. You can do other things, and vegetables will boil without your close attention.