Over the past few years, many assistants have appeared in the kitchen of housewives who are ready to facilitate and speed up cooking in every possible way. These are multicookers, bread machines, aerogrills, blenders, mixers, food processors, ice makers, microwaves.
The latter are used exclusively by many to heat up ready meals or to defrost meat and fish. But it turns out the technical capabilities of this gadget are much wider and with its help you can cook full meals. For example, potatoes.
Is it possible to cook potatoes in the microwave?
There are many ways to cook potatoes, which are used in the preparation of various dishes. Perhaps, most often boiled potatoes. What could be simpler than washing the tubers, putting them in a saucepan, pouring water, bringing to a boil and cooking for 20 minutes (depending on size) until ready? Simply just cook the potatoes in the microwave.
Even the simplest device with a basic set of functions can cope with such a cooking process. In any microwave oven, you can cook boiled potato pieces, in a uniform, in a bag, and potatoes with herbs and spices.
The advantages of cooking potatoes in the microwave
Before turning to the recipes, it is worthwhile to dwell separately on the advantages of this method of cooking. Such potatoes are not inferior in taste to boiled in the traditional way, but the time and water for its preparation leaves much less. By the way, in the microwave you can cook not only potatoes, but also carrots, beets and even cabbage leaves for cabbage rolls.
Returning to the taste of potatoes cooked in a microwave oven, it should be said that it always turns out crumbly and dry, very similar to baked. There is no wateriness in it, like in tubers boiled in a saucepan with water on the stove.
Another such method of cooking will help to protect your body from falling into it corned beef (poisonous glycoside, which is contained in green tubers). If the green root, green under the rind, is boiled in water, the color will turn into water, making it slightly turbid, and the harmful substances will remain in the vegetable.
A man, not noticing this, can eat such a potato, adding his own liver to the work. And with the potatoes cooked in the microwave, this will not happen.
How to cook potatoes in the microwave
Such potatoes can be as an independent dish, it is enough just to pour it with a tablespoon of melted butter and sprinkle with greens, and can act as a side dish for meat and fish dishes.
In order to cook potatoes in a microwave oven, you need to adhere to certain proportions:
- 0.5 kg of potatoes;
- 8 tablespoons of salted water.
Cooking time, taking into account the preparation of potatoes no more than 12 minutes.
Caloric content: 70 kcal / 100 grams.
Stages of cooking:
- Peel potatoes, wash, cut into pieces (halves or quarters, depending on the size of the tubers);
- Fold in a glass microwave pan with a loose-fitting lid to allow steam to escape;
- At the bottom of the pot pour the salted water and send the potatoes in the microwave oven, turned on at maximum power for 5 minutes;
- Then turn the tubers to the other side, try their readiness, adjust the time and turn on the oven for a few more minutes.
How to quickly cook potatoes in the microwave in the package
If there was no glass pan on hand, an ordinary plastic bag or a hand for baking will help out.
To cook potatoes in this way will need:
- 1 plastic bag or baking sleeve;
- 500 grams of potatoes;
- 1 pinch of salt;
- 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
Cooking time will be about 10 minutes.
Calorie ready potatoes 82 kcal / 100 grams.
Cooking:
- Tubers wash. Lovers of peeled potatoes can peel and chop it, the rest - just make a few punctures with a fork on each vegetable;
- Prepared potatoes folded in a bag (or sleeve), there also send vegetable oil and salt;
- Tie the bag (sleeve) and shake the contents well so that the oil and salt are evenly distributed over the potatoes;
- Make several holes in the bag to allow steam to escape, and send it to the microwave oven at maximum power for 8-10 minutes;
- Remove the finished potatoes from the microwave oven, carefully cut the bag so as not to burn yourself with hot steam, because even if there are holes, it will not leave the bag. Put the potatoes in a dish and serve.
How to cook potatoes in the microwave in the uniform
Potatoes in the uniform are often used to make various salads. And this method of cooking will significantly reduce the overall cooking time.
Ingredients you need:
- from 1 potato to 600-800 grams;
- salt to taste
Cooking time 10-15 minutes.
Calorie dishes: 74 kcal / 100 grams.
Working process:
- Potato tubers of medium size (or slightly smaller) should be washed so that no trace of dirt is left on their skin. To do this, you can use a brush. Wash the washed potatoes again under running water;
- Using a fork, a sharp knife or a toothpick, make several punctures in the skin of each vegetable so that the tubers do not tear and do not scatter on all the walls of the oven;
- Prepared tubers folded in a glass saucepan or other vessel with a lid, which has a hole for steam. Put the dish in the microwave for 10 minutes on the included power of 600-800 W;
- When the time is up, check readiness, and if the potato is not ready yet, put it in the oven for another few minutes.
How to cook potatoes with spices in the microwave
If in the process of cooking boiled potatoes add your favorite spices to it, the dish will get its new unique taste. To cook potatoes with spices in the microwave will need:
- about 400 grams of potatoes;
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil;
- 1 clove of garlic;
- salt, freshly ground pepper mixture, dry spicy herbs (for example, Provence) to taste.
Cooking time: 15 minutes in the microwave and potatoes are ready.
Calorie content: about 90 kcal / 100 grams.
Sequence of processes:
- Peel the potatoes, wash them and cut them into medium-sized slices, put them in the pot in which they will be cooked;
- Pour over potato slices with vegetable oil and sprinkle with dry herbs, a mixture of peppers, add finely chopped clove of garlic. Mix everything and leave to marinate for a few minutes;
- Next, the potatoes are cooked in a microwave on high power for 15 minutes. Each time, you need to set the time of the oven for 5 minutes, when they pass, turn the slices over, and turn the oven on again. And so 3 times;
- Serve ready potatoes with sour cream, ketchup or any other sauce.
Useful tips
Cooking any dish, not only potatoes, has its own characteristics that must be considered.
The first thing you should pay attention to is the dishes. In the microwave oven can not be cooked in a metal or shiny dishes. Therefore, even a glass lid with a metal rim will not work. Dishes should be ceramic, glass or high-quality plastic.
If there is no suitable lid to cover the potatoes, you can use the usual cling film. To do this, cover the top of the vessel with a film and make several small punctures for steam.
The time during which potatoes are cooked depends on two main factors: the capacity of the oven and which potatoes are cooked (old or young). Microwave power can vary from 600 to 800 watts. Under these conditions, young tubers are prepared from 5 to 9 minutes, the old - from 9 to 12 minutes.
Even at the time of cooking affects the size of potatoes. To speed up the cooking process, you can simply chop the vegetables into smaller pieces.
Any of the above recipes, each hostess can improve and make it their own "flavor". For example, adding your favorite spices, grated cheese or serving the finished dish with sauce, ketchup, sour cream and chopped greens.
Successful culinary experiments and enjoy your meal!
In the next video - another recipe for cooking potatoes in the microwave.
