Microwave Cooking for Dummies
There comes a time when hunger and boredom join forces and suddenly you find yourself in the kitchen but the refrigerator is empty. It's okay if you feel dazed and confused when this time comes, we're here for you, and so is a humble kitchen appliance known as the microwave oven. Commonly used for heating up last night's leftovers, microwaves also serve other wonderful purposes like whipping up a snack in less than 10 minutes. We've waded through a lot of microwave recipes, tested a dozen of the best ones, and came up with 4 bulletproof easy recipes for you.
FRENCH TOAST
Taking no more than 5 minutes in total, French toast in a mug has to be one of the most effortless recipes out there. It's perfect for satiating your craving for midnight munchies since there is no need for planning ahead for this.
Start by making medium sized cubes from bread, drop a chunk of butter at the bottom of your mug and fill it with the bread cubes. Crack an egg and whisk it together with a tablespoon of sugar, a few drops of vanilla essence and/or a pinch of cinnamon powder. Pour the mixture in the mug and wait for a few minutes for the bread cubes to be soaked in egg wash. Microwave for approximately 1.5 minutes, or longer, depending on how runny you like your eggs.
Pro-tip: Douse your French toast in a mug with maple or chocolate syrup while it's still hot.
NUTELLA MUG SOUFFLÉ
Soufflés aren't for dummies; soufflés take patience, skill and occasionally sacrificing a goat for good luck. Mug soufflés on the other hand, only take a whole lot of mixing ingredients together and 1.5 minutes in the microwave.
When it comes to baking, it is vital to follow the ratio and amount of all ingredients precisely. Take a big bowl and mix together 4 tablespoons of flour, 4 tablespoons of sugar and 1 egg. Then set cocoa powder, Nutella, milk and vegetable oil on your kitchen counter, take 3 tablespoons from each ingredient and whisk them into the batter. Whisk thoroughly to eliminate any lumps by incorporating all components into a well-blended batter. Fill half a mug with the batter and another mug with the remaining batter, mix batter vigorously before doing so. Pop them into a microwave and gleefully watch the soufflés rise to the brim of the mug within a minute.
Pro-tip: Soufflés are best served hot with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on top.
POACHED EGGS
A healthier and more delectable alternative to fried eggs, poached eggs are perfect for an impromptu brunch. Poaching eggs on the stove can prove to a stressful task as there's always the risk of a broken yolk. Preparing them in the microwave makes it super easy and hassle-free.
Fill a bowl with hot water; add a few pinches of salt and around 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Carefully crack an egg into the bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye on the egg so that you can bring it out just when you have a runny egg yolk with a smooth consistency instead of a rubbery mess.
CARAMEL N' PEANUT POPCORN
Sometimes plain old melted butter on popcorn just doesn't cut it. This dish does require having to plan ahead, (unless you always have marshmallows lying around your house) but it's totally worth it.
Combine half a cup of butter, quarter cup of peanut butter with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and a few marshmallows, microwave at 1 minute intervals, stirring it between each break until the mixture is lush and creamy. Drizzle over hot popcorn generously, coating each corn by stirring quickly before it cools.
Aruba Adil is a self proclaimed failed poet who wastes her days swimming and day dreaming about climbing trees. She can be reached at aruba0009@gmail.com and yes, she's the kind of person with numbers in her email address.