Picture this: you arrive late on a Monday evening after a busy day just to find that your home is a mess and that you still have to make dinner. Sounds familiar, right? Feeling tired and hungry makes you lose the will to cook but do not despair! There are some tricks you can use in order to regain it.
The first, and most important thing to do, is to figure out your shop order. If you already have the ingredients, things will be much easier. Next, take a few minutes to prepare the mise en place, this will save you a lot of time! And if your problem is the thought of waiting for the oven to heat, remember you have an ally in the kitchen: the microwave.
A loyal friend
There it is, probably under a layer of dust, covered with things such as a mug you forgot or the bills you have to pay. There is a tendency to use microwaves just as leftover heaters and this is a shame because you can make some great meals from scratch in this device.
Take mug cakes, for example. Yes, you can actually bake a cake in your microwave. You can easily make some mac ’n’ cheese or chili too in a few minutes. They may also save you a load of time accelerating other kitchen tasks. Have you considered proofing yeast with it, for example? Or disinfecting your kitchen items? You can also melt butter or chocolate in seconds as well. Wipe off the dust and make good use of it!
A quick-fix dinner
There are some things to take into account if you want to extend the life of your kitchen appliances. It is always good to know in advance your microwave wattage (i.e.: power), just in case you need to adjust the cooking time of a recipe. Plus, you should never ever put any metal item in it, only use microwave-safe dishes.
As any other kitchen appliance, microwaves need regular cleaning so after using it, put a bowl of water with one tablespoon of white vinegar or a slice of lemon in it and heat for 30 seconds. This will help remove any bad smell. Once you have put into practice all these tips, it is time to cook. Bear in mind that different food items may require different cooking times, so make sure to separate them according to that. On this occasion, we brought you a fried rice with egg recipe. This is a life savior meal for those late Monday nights: quick, easy, delicious and with only a few ingredients, give it a try!
Ingredients (4 servings):
- 1 cup long-grain rice, uncooked.
- 2 cups vegetable broth.
- 5 oz (150 g) of frozen peas.
- 3.5 oz (100 g) of frozen carrot.
- 3 eggs.
- 2 tbsp of soy sauce.
- Salt and pepper, to taste.
- Sesame seeds.
Preparation:
- Put the rice and broth into a microwave safe bowl. You can use water but broth will add some more flavor, extra points if it is homemade! Make sure that your recipient has a lid because it has to be on during this step. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the m.o. and reserve. Whisk the eggs in a mug with some salt until well blended. Add them and the rest of the ingredients to the rice. Season to taste and stir thoroughly.
- Put the lid on again and microwave on high for 1 minute. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top and serve.
Did you know that you can adapt this recipe to suit your palate? Maybe you would rather prefer adding coleslaw or brussel sprouts, don’t be afraid to experiment! You can also play with the toppings, try parsley or cilantro for a more fresh, bright flavor. Trust your taste buds, they know best.
The microwave timing for this recipe applies to a standard wattage, sitting between 900-1000 watts. You can check your microwave power in the user manual. If you need to adjust the cooking time, bear in mind that for every 100 watts of difference in less, you will need to add 10 more seconds. For example, if your device has 800 watts, microwave for 02:10 in step 1 and 01:10 in step 3.