Simplified cooking with MW

You can easily roast nuts like cashews and groundnuts in microwave and store them for future use. For this, spread out the nuts in the microwave safe plate (preferably plate instead of bowl) and micro high for about 2 minutes for 1/2 cup of nuts. However, just check once in between and ensure they dont get burnt. Dont consume immediately. They become crisp when cooled.

Make paneer in the microwave-- Micro high 4 cups of milk in a doubly sized microwave safe bowl for 5 minutes. Stir every 2 minutes in between. Now add 2 tbsp of curd and micro high for 1 more minute. Leave it to cool for five minutes and then drain out the water.

To blanch tomatoes, use a toothpick to make holes in the tomato and micro high it for around 30 seconds. Allow a standing time of 2 minutes and then blanch them. To extract juice from tamarind, add some water to it and micro high for 3 minutes in a microwave safe bowl. Allow standing time of 5-10 minutes and extract the juice. Its much easier to do this way.

To get more lemon juice, micro high the lemon for around 20 seconds in a microwave safe plate.

Basics of Microwave Cooking

Before Cooking Aluminium vessels and glass containers wi th designs are a big NO for microwave. The plastic containers that you get as free gifts when you purchase microwave are better used only for reheating. Avoid cooking in it. To ensure that the glass bowl that you are using is microwave safe, fill it with water and micro high for a minute. If the bowl continues to remain cool, it is fit for cooking. Ensure that the vegetables are evenly cut for even and faster cooking. Add water to just dip the vegetables and keep adding when required as excess water will delay cooking. Microwave cooking requires a little more water than cooking in gas. Rice is best cooked in microwave if soaked in water for at least 20 minutes. To cook dal faster in microwave, soak it in water for half an hour.

 Before cooking potatoes, tomatoes, pierce them all over so that they dont blast. During cooking Timing plays a crucial role in the success of a microwave recipe. The time taken to cook rice, dhals and vegetables differ with quantity, quality and size of the cut vegetables. Mix the food well once every 2 to 3 minutes, so that it cooks evenly. Keep checking if there is sufficient water, else food will get burnt. For cooking dals, always use a larger vessel, add some turmeric powder and few drops of oil to prevent spilling. Microwave extracts more taste from spices and saltHence use a bit lesser quantity than what you use for cooking on gas. After Cooking Use some cloth or gloves to remove the glass bowls from the microwave. After removing the glass bowls from the microwave, dont keep it directly on slabs or cold surfaces as it will develop cracks. Always place a thick towel and then the glass bowl on it. Always allow 2-5 minutes standing time for food cooked in microwave prior to consumption.

Eggless Vanilla Cake

100% microwave cooking blog completes a year today. Here is the eggless cake

recipe for the occassion.... Ingredients (Translation) 200 grams Maida 1 level tsp Baking powder 2 pinches Baking soda 1/2 tsp vanilla essence Butter- 100 grams or Ghee- cup 400 grams Condensed Milk 200-300 ml Soft drink Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl for around 30 seconds on micro high. Now add the condensed milk and beat well. Sieve the mix of maida, baking powder and baking soda around 3 to 4 times. Add it to the butter and condensed milk mix little by little and blend it well using cut and fold technique. Add the soft drink to get the required consistency and finally add the essence. Grease a microwave safe bowl and pour the batter. Microwave on high without covering it for 6 to 7 minutes. Decorate the cake as desired using cream and icing sugar or strawberry or cherries.

Pizza
Ingredients (Translation) Pizza base- 1 Tomato ketchup Grated Mozzarella Cheese Onions Tomato Capsicum Salt to taste Pepper to taste Grill the pizza base on both sides for 2 minutes each. Spread tomato ketchup and cheese on it. Cut the vegetables in round slices and arrange them on the pizza base. Add salt and pepper and lots of grated cheese.

Grill it in the microwave for 5 to 6 minutes or maybe a minute or two more.

Rava Idli

Ingredients (Translation) 1 cup sooji/rava/semolina 1 cup curd 1 tbsp ghee salt to taste Finely chopped chillies and ginger Finely chopped coriander leaves tsp of Eno fruit salt Mix all the ingredients well except Eno fruit salt. Now add water to get the desired consistencythe batte r must be of pouring consistency. Finally add the Eno, mix it and immediately pour it into the idli plates that are microwave safe. Micro high for around 4-5 minutes. Check if it is cooked, else micro high for another minute. Just invert the idli plate on the serving plate and pat once, the idlis will automatically come out. Serve it with coriander chutney, coconut chutney, ground nut chutney or sambhar.

Vegetable Rava Upma

Ingredients (Translation) 1 cup sooji 1 spoon oil 1 carrot cut into small pieces 1/4 cup peas 1 1/2 cup of water 2 Green chillies cut into half Salt to taste Coriander leaves for garnishing Pinch of hing Few Curry leaves Mix the oil, mustard seeds, black gram dal and Bengal gram dal and micro high for half a minute in a closed microwave safe bowl. Add the carrot and peas and some water and micro high for 3 minutes, ensuring there is sufficient water. Add all the ingredients except coriander leaves and micro high for 4-5 minutes. Remove and mix well every 2 minutes. Add finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve after allowing a standing time of one minute.

Dhokla
cup sooji cup besan 1 cup curd pinch of sugar Lemon juice 1 tbsp ghee salt to taste tsp of Eno fruit salt Coriander leaves and white til to garnish Mix all the ingredients except Eno fruit salt. Add water to get pouring consistency.

Add the Eno fruit salt, mix well and immediately pour it into a microwave safe bowl. Micro high for 4-5 minutes. Check if it is cooked, else micro high for another minute. Allow a minute standing time and garnish the dhokla with some white til and coriander leaves. Serve with any chutney

Meetha (Sweet) Chutney

Ingredients (Translation) 1 big lemon size tamarind 4 tbsp dates syrup (or a small lemon size dates) 1/2 cup jaggery (approx) A pinch of salt A pinch of red chilli powder Soak the tamarind and dates (if not using syrup) for half an hour and extract the juice. Add it to a microwave safe bowl and micro high for 4 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and micro high again for 3 minutes. If it is still very watery, micro high for another 2 minutes. Cool and store in refrigerator and use it for chats. It tastes great with idli dosas too. Alternatively you can even substitute dry grapes for dates. Both of them have the properties to thicken the chutney.

Cauliflower Kootu

Ingredients 1 medium sized cauliflower (soaked in boiling water for 1/2 hr) 2 tsp oil 1 tsp mustard seeds Few curry leaves 1 cup cooked greengram dal Salt to taste 1/2 tsp turmeric powder A bit of asafoetida 3 tsp kootu masala powder 2 tbsp grated coconut Grind the coconut and kootu masala powder together. Add oil, mustard seeds in a microwave safe bowl and micro high for 30 seconds. Add curry leaves, cooked dal, cauliflower florets, turmeric powder, salt, asafoetida and masala paste. Add more water if required and cook covered at micro high for 5 minutes till cauliflower is done, stirring once in between. Serve with rice/rotis.

Kadai Paneer

Ingredients (Translation) 200 gms paneer cut into long strips 1 medium size capsicum cut into long strips Salt to taste 2 tsp oil 2 tbsp tomato puree 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1/2 tsp garam masala powder 1/2 tsp cumin seeds powder 1/2 tsp coriander seeds powder 1/2 tsp grated ginger 2 tsp fresh cream Finely chopped coriander leaves to garnish In a microwave safe bowl, add the oil, ginger, tomato puree and all the dry masala powders. Micro high for 30 seconds. Add capsicum, some water and micro high for 2 minutes. Add the paneer, cream and salt and more water if required. Micro high for 1 more minute. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with hot chapatis.

Paneer Tikka
Ingredients (Translation) 1/4 kg Paneer cut into cubes 1 big spoon Curd 1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste Salt to taste Ghee or oil- for greasing 1 tsp Red chilli powder

1 tsp Garam masala powder 2 tsp Crushed kasuri methi tsp Ajwain Red orange color- a pinch 1 Big capsicum cut into trianges 1 Big tomato cut into triangles 1 Big onion (optional, i didnt use) Mix all ingredients except paneer, capsicum, tomato and onion. Prick the paneer pieces using toothpick and add it to the mixture. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Remove and micro high for around 4 to 5 minutes in a microwave safe strainer. Grease it with ghee or oil and grill it for 7 to 8 minutes along with the other vegetable pieces, but remove the vegetable pieces after 2 to 3 minutes. Arrange the tikka as follows in a toothpick, first capsicum, tomato, onion, paneer, onion, tomato and finally capsicum. Prepare all pieces like this. You can even change the order, but always keep the paneer in the centre. Spread some chat masala powder on it. Your tasty paneer tikka is ready. Serve hot with some tomato sauce.

Malai Kofta

Ingredients (Translation) 1 cup Grated Paneer 1 Green chillies 1 tsp Maida 2 Baked Potatoes Salt to taste 2 tsp Oil 1 tsp Chilli powder

4 tbsp Cream For the masala paste Tomatoes-2 1 tsp of cumin seeds 1 piece of ginger 1 piece of cinnamon stick 2 tsp of coriander seeds 1 finely chopped onion Coriander leaves and kasuri methi to garnish Mash the potatoes and add the grated paneer, maida, salt, finely chopped green chilly. Mix well and make small balls of it and micro high them for around 30 to 40 seconds in a microwave safe plate after greasing it with some oil. In a microwave safe bowl, add 2 tsp of oil, the masala paste and micro high for 3 minutes. Remove, mix well and again micro high for another 2 minutes. Add the cream, salt and micro high for one minute. Finally add the koftas and micro high for two minutes. Allow a standing time of two minutes. Garnish with coriander and crushed kasuri methi leaves.

Methi Mattar Malai

This recipe is a modified version of Tarla Dalal's Methi Mattar Malai to suit my requirements of making gravy without onions and garlic. Ingredients (Translation) 1 cup chopped fenugreek leaves

1/2 cup cooked green peas A bit of sugar Salt to taste 2 tbsp oil 1/2 cup milk 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 3 tbsp fresh cream For masala paste 1/2 tsp ginger paste 1 green chilli 5 to 8 cashews 2 tsp poppy seeds (khus khus) Grind the masala and keep ready. In a microwave safe bowl, add oil, fenugreek leaves and cumin seeds and micro high for 2 minutes. In a seperate bowl, add some more oil, masala paste and micro high for 30 seconds. Add milk, cream, salt as per taste, pinch of sugar, cooked peas and fenugreek leaves. Mix well and micro high for 2 more minutes. (Since i wanted a thick gravy and also retain the white colour of the gravy, 2 tbsp of rice flour mixed in water was added at this stage and micro high for 1 more minute.) Serve hot with rotis.