The microwave has become a integral part of the modern kitchen, almost as important as the oven or the fridge. We can’t do without it although its use may be somewhat limited. It is a real life saver when it comes to heating up leftover food in minutes, but what other uses does it have?
Well, a lot that we fail to see. The microwave has potential usefulness in other areas of our everyday life if we are open to the possibilities. Here is just a small list of the many uses of the microwave.
Cook fish in 5 minutes. See the instructions here
Liquefy crystallized honey. A crystallized honey is still good, in fact it is a sign that it’s of good quality. To bring back its normal consistency uncover the jar, and microwave it for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Make hot compress. Soak a hand towel in water, and then microwave it for 1 minute. In no time, will you have a soothing hot compress. Similarly, if you use heated gel packs to alleviate head aches, then again you can heat and reheat the gel packs inside the microwave.
Chop onion without tears. Place the onion in the microwave for 30 seconds to take the sting out of the onion juice that causes the eyes to tear up.
Soften Brown Sugar. Just like with the honey, the crystallized brown sugar is still good. To soften it, place a damp paper towel inside the box, close it tightly and microwave it for 30 seconds on medium heat.
Reuse Postage Stamps. Place a few drops of water on the postage stamp and microwave he letter for 20 seconds on medium. The stamp will come right off.
Steam vegetables. Cut the vegetables in small pieces, place them in a microwave safe bowl with some water and cover them tightly. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes. More detailed intructions here.
Re-moist Stale Bread. Wrap the bread in damp kitchen towel and microwave it on high for 10 seconds. Repeat the procedure until you’re satisfied with the moistness of the bread.
Test If A Container is Microwave Safe. Fill an already known microwave safe mug with water, place it in the container to be tested and heat it for 1 minute. If the testing container is cold, it is microwave safe. If the testing container is hot, then it’s not safe.
Peel Corn Easily And Without Leaving Any Of The Hairs.
Get More Juice From lemon or Lime. Put them in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds on high and then roll them around on the counter a few times.
Peel Garlic. Microwave the garlic cloves on top of a kitchen tissue for around 10 seconds. The tissue will absorb the moisture and allow you to peel the garlic effortlessly.
Soaking Beans. Instead of leaving the beans or lentils overnight, place them in a bowl, cover them with water and add a pinch of baking soda. Microwave on high for 10 minutes and let them to stand for 30 to 40 minutes.
Warming Hair Oil and Other Beauty Products. When your hair oil hardens inside the bottle, microwave the bottle for 20 seconds. Similarly, if hot wax cools down before you are done waxing your leg, then microwave the jar for 20 seconds. It is an easy and a non-messy technique to reheat wax.
Dry Hrbs. Preserve herbs by drying them fast n the microwavwe. First wash them and and spread them on kitchen paper, with more kitchen paper on top then microwave them on high for around 40 seconds.
Make Milk Foam. Fill a jar with milk, halfway or less and vigorously shake the jar with the lid on until the milk froths and doubles in size (about 30 seconds). Take the lid off, microwave the frothed milk for another 30 seconds, and watch the foam rise to the top and stabilize.
Make No-Fry Potato Chips. Slice potatoes about an eighth of an inch. Arrange thinly-sliced potatoes in a single layer on a plate and microwave for 3 minutes at a time, decreasing the power level and flipping the potatoes with each round.
Rervive Dried Up Mascara. Get extra life out of a dried-up mascara stick by heating for 30-40 seconds on high – with a cup of water in the microwave beside it for safety’s sake.
Peel Foods Easily. Heat food such as tomatoes or peaches for 30 seconds on medium, then let them stand for 2 minutes and they will peel off easily.
Make Edible Cheese Bowls. Get two nesting bowl (to serve as moulds) and spread grated cheese out in a circle slightly larger than the rim of the bowl on a parchment paper on a plate. Cook this on high in the microwave until golden brown, then working fast, get the cooked cheese out, flip it over an upturned bowl (with the parchment attached), and press a second bowl over the hot parchment/cheese.
Disinfect Sponges. Put the dirty sponge into a bowl filled with water and a dash of vinegar or lemon juice and microwave the bowl at high power for around a minute in the microwave. Another way is to soake the sponge, wring it and microwave on medium for 2 minutes.
Use The Microwave For Proofing Bread. Bring to boil a cup of water for 2-3 minutes. Once the water starts boiling, stash your dough along with the cup of boiling water in the microwave, and leave it there until the yeast does its thing.
Toasting Nuts And Spices. Microwave the nuts and spice mix in a microwave in bursts of 15 seconds. Repeat the procedure until the aroma from the nuts and spices engulfs your kitchen.
Easy Steam Cleaning. Squeeze and dunk two lemon halves into a bowl of water and microwave it for five minutes. Take the bowl out and quickly wipe down the inside of your microwave.
We hope these tips will help you see how useful the microwave can be.
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