Seasoned Advice Asked by user20180604 on July 16, 2021
So I like to eat a cooked lunch, but my work break room only has a microwave – incapable of producing the Maillard reaction and only good for reheating decaying food into a disgusting, soggy pap.
I understand that oil doesn’t warm up in a microwave because the electrons don’t resonate at the right frequency, unlike water.
However… a mixture of water and oil would transfer the heat to the oil, right? So all I need do is mix together water and oil in a cup, microwave on full power till all the water is gone and the oil is at 100C, then add my stir fry ingredients.
Has anyone tried this? Will it work?
While creative, this sounds like an especially poor idea, fraught with disaster.
Answered by PoloHoleSet on July 16, 2021
It won't work. Water doesn't heat past 100C for one thing, which it too low for frying. Yes, if water boils it can impart a lot of energy due to the latent heat of boiling, but it's also going to want to vaporize, taking that energy with it. If you have the oil mixed with the water well then the oil comes with it and makes a huge mess.
Also, the water is your enemy when it comes to crispness. Imagine if you put water in the pan when you try to make a grilled cheese sandwich, the water is going to soak into the bread and make it nasty. You wouldn't get good results if you put water in the pan with bacon either.
Your best bet is to choose food that reheats well in a microwave, and there's plenty of that. Soups, stews, chili, pasta dishes, curries, most Chinese/Thai/Vietnamese leftovers. Anything that's been fried previously is a bad choice though, breaded chicken or french fries come out soggy.
There isn't much you can cook (as opposed to reheat) that well in the microwave, but there are opportunities. Potatoes bake in minutes, and you can supposedly cook bacon as well, although I've heard varying stories of success there.
Answered by GdD on July 16, 2021
Get help from others!
Recent Answers
Recent Questions
© 2024 TransWikia.com. All rights reserved. Sites we Love: PCI Database, UKBizDB, Menu Kuliner, Sharing RPP