Unexpected uses of microwave ovens

Cooking fast food, baking potatoes, warming skin and hair care products, roasting nuts... are quick and easy ways to prepare food that not everyone knows how to do with a microwave.

Not only does it pop popcorn, this effective household appliance also has many surprising uses waiting for you to discover:

Disinfect and deodorize sponges

Don’t throw away that fishy-smelling kitchen sponge. Soak it in warm water with white vinegar or lemon juice, then heat it on high for about a minute in the microwave. This will kill bacteria and remove the unpleasant odor from the sponge you used to wipe up juice, raw meat, etc.

Photo illustration: Promo-wholesale.com.

Cook a complete dinner in just 10 minutes

You can have a variety of dinners in a microwave in a minimum amount of time. Poached salmon, boiled beans, mashed potatoes... all can be cooked quickly in the microwave. Use the microwave for any menu from braising, steaming, boiling, and it will only take 3/4 of your normal cooking time. Remember to stir the solution frequently to redistribute the heat and always remove the food from the oven only 1-2 minutes after the time is up because the cooking process will continue.

Baked potatoes

Microwaves not only give you perfectly cooked, soft, fragrant baked potatoes, but also give them an attractive reddish brown color, all in just about 4 minutes on average. You can cook as much as you want. The general rule of thumb for heating more food is to add 30 seconds to the usual cooking time.

Simple instructions: Score the potatoes with a small knife and cook for about 2 minutes. Flip the potatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes. To make mashed potatoes, warm the milk in the microwave before adding to the potatoes.

Melting honey lumps

Solidified honey can be returned to its normal liquid state by removing the lid and heating it on medium heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Yeast dough

Yeasting regular dough takes an hour or more at room temperature, but in the microwave it can take as little as 15 minutes. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place an 8-ounce cup of water in the corner of the microwave, place the bowl in the middle, and turn the heat to the lowest setting. Heat for about 3 minutes, then let the dough rest in the microwave for 3 minutes. Heat for another 3 minutes, then let the dough rest for 6 minutes. The dough will double in size.

Warming health care products

You use the microwave to heat up coffee, why not use it to reheat gel packs for headaches and back pain. Don’t do this with packages containing metal.

Warming beauty products

It only takes 10-20 seconds to warm up a hair oil pack in the microwave and feel the amazing effects. You can also warm up moisturizing masks to help them absorb better when applied to the skin (remember to mix the mask well and test the temperature with your finger before applying it to your face). And if the hot wax solidifies halfway through your leg waxing, warm it up in the microwave. This saves you time and is less messy than using a double boiler.

Roasted garlic

It takes 45 minutes to roast garlic in the oven, but less than 8 minutes in the microwave. Cut off the top of the garlic to expose the cloves. Place the garlic in a small, deep bowl with a little salt and pepper and a little olive oil. Pour 2 tablespoons of water into the bottom of the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and cook on medium heat for about 7 minutes. Leave in the oven for a few minutes before removing and peeling off the plastic wrap.

Pre-cooking for grilled dishes

To reduce the time it takes to grill vegetables or even meat, you can pre-cook them in the microwave before grilling. This will save you a lot of time. The pre-cooking time will vary depending on the type of food, for example, potatoes need 2 minutes, bell peppers about 1 minute...

Helps squeeze out the juice from citrus fruits

An orange or lemon straight from the refrigerator will be harder to juice than one that has been at room temperature or slightly warmed. To get the most juice out of the lemon or lime, microwave it for about 20 seconds before juicing.

Toasted nuts, bread and coconut

Microwave these items in about 1/4 the time it takes to cook them in a conventional oven. Spread the nuts on a plate and heat on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute. Remember that they will continue to cook for about a minute after you turn off the oven, so don’t take them out right away.

Cook vegetables

Almost all vegetables can be steamed in the microwave without adding water. Place them in a large dish or bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and cook on high. Cooking times vary from food to food, but spinach, mushrooms, and white beans will take about 30 seconds, while crisper stems like carrots will take about 4 minutes.

According to VnExpress