Top 8 microwave hacks that will make your life easier

The microwave is one of the most commonly used kitchen appliances in the world. It's easier to heat or defrost something quickly than to do that on the stove or in the oven. That's why it's been adopted by everyone from bachelors who eat convenience foods to mothers with many children.

However, the Popular Science magazine claims that the benefits of the microwave are not limited to this. Here are eight more ways to use it.

Dry herbs

If you're a fan of herbal teas or spices and make them yourself, you know how difficult it can be to dry the plants you pick properly. Use the microwave. Wash and dry the collected herbs well so that not a drop of water remain on them. Then put 4-5 sprigs between two paper towels and put them in the oven on high power. 2-3 minutes will be enough. If the plants do not dry properly, put them in the oven for another 30 seconds. After the herbs have cooled down, they can be chopped and stored in an airtight container.

A quick burst of heat has a similar effect to blanching. It preserves the color and flavor of your herbs. The water in the leaves evaporates quickly when exposed to microwaves, resulting in perfectly dried plants that can be used all year round.

Make orange juice

If you microwave citrus fruits for 20 seconds before juicing them, it will soften the juice-containing membranes. This way you get more juice for your drinks and dishes. To further enhance this effect, roll the unpeeled fruit on the table while pressing lightly on it before microwaving: it will soften it even more.

Don't cry over onions

You can get rid of tears while cutting onions by warming the vegetable in the oven for 45 seconds beforehand. This will neutralize syn-propanthial S-oxide, a sulfur derivative that causes irritation of the lacrimal glands.

Heat two dishes at the same time

Heating two plates in the microwave is a good idea. Place one on the edge of the turntable inside the oven and the other on an upside-down mug or bowl. This is more than just convenient. This uneven rotation will help food warm up better.

Peel garlic easily

Of course, garlic is not as unpleasant to peel as onions. However, it still adds a certain amount of work. So just put the number of cloves you need in the microwave and heat them for 15-20 seconds. The water inside the vegetable will start to evaporate and separate the skin from the flesh. It will be easy to remove it. Tomatoes can be peeled in the same way. Before loading into the oven, you will need to make a shallow cross-shaped incision on the part of the fruit that is opposite the place where it was attached to the stem. It will only take 3-5 seconds to heat the tomato.

Prepare a dish for one

Those who live alone or with a small family also sometimes want to enjoy a homemade cake. In this case, it may be irrational to cook a whole one: it will be too much, you will have to throw something away, and it is also quite expensive. However, it is quite possible to bake desserts in the microwave by putting the dough and fillings in a ceramic mug. Similarly, you can bake just one potato without preheating the whole oven and washing a whole bunch of dishes afterward. Put your potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl, pierce them in several places with a fork, add a few drops of olive oil, a little salt and your favorite spices, and cook them on high for 5 minutes. Then remove the dish, turn it over, and cook for another 3 minutes.

Use a paper towel

When you heat something in the microwave, place a paper towel dampened with water on top of the dish. First, this will prevent splashing, and second, it will retain more moisture in the food: these appliances have the ability to dry out food due to the rapid evaporation of water.

Clean the oven

Anything that cooks food quickly gets dirty with food residue. The microwave is no exception. However, it can clean itself. To do this, cut a medium lemon in half and squeeze a little juice into a microwave-safe bowl filled with water to 2-3 centimeters. Put the rest of the lemon in the same bowl. The water should not cover it completely. Put this bowl on high power for three minutes or until the water boils. When the oven turns off, leave the bowl inside: the water vapor will spread the lemon juice, or rather the citric acid needed for cleaning, to all corners of the appliance. The acid will dissolve all the dirt under the influence of heat. In 5 minutes, you just need to open the door, carefully remove the bowl and wipe the inside with a clean cloth or paper towel.

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