Little-known tips for cooking with a microwave

To peel garlic faster or chop onions without tears, microwave these vegetables for a few seconds.

If you use your microwave just to reheat food, you’re missing out on a lot of its usefulness. Try these tips from RD:

Peel garlic faster

Just microwave a garlic clove for 15 seconds and you will peel it quickly and easily. The water in the garlic will evaporate, making the skin come off easily.

Rescue stale bread

If you forget your bread from the night before and it loses its delicious flavor, wrap it in a damp paper towel and microwave it for about 20 seconds at a time. The moisture from the paper will absorb into the bread, bringing back the delicious flavor without making it soggy.

Helps juice fruit easier

Before juicing an orange or lemon, microwave the whole fruit for 10 seconds. The microwave will soften the fibrous interior of the fruit and make it easier to squeeze the juice out.

Fast roasting

Place a handful of peanuts in a microwave-safe dish, stir every minute, and continue microwaving until cooked. Total cooking time depends on the amount of peanuts, but it usually takes about 5 minutes. This tip also works for pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Helps make bread faster

Want to make your own bread or pizza at home? It can take hours to leaven dough at room temperature, but a microwave can help you ferment it in about 15 minutes. Place a cup of water in the corner of the microwave, put the dough in a bowl, place it in the middle of the microwave and heat on low for about 3 minutes. Leave the dough in the microwave for another 3 minutes. Heat the dough again for 3 minutes and let it rest for 6 minutes. The dough will have risen enough to be ready to shape into loaves.

Liquefy crystallized honey

If your jar of honey has crystallized at the bottom, remove the lid and heat it in the microwave for 30-40 seconds at a time until the honey is liquid. Make sure the honey is in a glass or microwave-safe plastic jar..

Peel vegetables faster

Vegetables that are too hard (like pumpkins...) are often difficult to peel. To make this easier, microwave the vegetables for 2-3 minutes on low heat, the skin will be easier to peel and cut. Be careful when removing vegetables from the microwave to avoid burning your hands.

Cut onions without tearing up your eyes

To avoid eye irritation when peeling or chopping onions, wash the onion, remove the roots, and microwave it for 30 seconds before chopping. You get watery eyes when chopping onions because the chopping breaks down enzymes inside, releasing sulfuric gas. This gas reacts with the eye and irritates it. Heating the onion first helps break down the enzymes that release the gas..

Cook bacon crispier

Turn a bowl upside down on a plate. Squeeze a strip of bacon over the bowl, then microwave for about a minute. The bacon fat will drip onto the plate, making it crispier and more flavorful.

Make French Toast

Want delicious toast that takes just 5 minutes to make? Spread butter on the bottom of a mug and add slices of bread. In another mug, whisk together one egg, 3 tablespoons of milk and a pinch of cinnamon. Pour the mixture into the mug and microwave for 1 minute.

Soften beans quickly

Forgot to soak beans overnight to make soy milk or to make soy sauce? Place beans in a large bowl, using 3 cups of water for every 1 cup of dry beans. Microwave on high until the water boils (about 12-15 minutes). Remove beans from the microwave and let stand for about an hour. Remove hulls (if making soy milk) and rinse beans with cold water.

According to VNE