With LPG supply concerns in Kolkata affecting households, many are turning to the microwave oven for everyday cooking, and reducing gas consumption.
Besides reheating food, you can make simple dishes like dal, omelette, poha, grilled chicken, bread pizza, and even alu chokha in a microwave with minimal effort. Besides saving LPG, a microwave can cook food faster, more efficiently and conveniently.
Alu chokha
It takes about 10 minutes to make alu makha or chokha in a microwave. Without burning LPG, here’s how you can make this Bihari and Bengali staple.
Ingredients
- Potatoes: 2 medium
- Onion (finely chopped): 1 small
- Green chillies (chopped): 1-2
- Mustard oil: 2-3 tbsp
- Salt: to taste
- Coriander leaves (optional): 2 tbsp
- Lemon juice (optional): 1 tsp
Method
- Wash and prick the potatoes. Microwave on high for 6-8 minutes until soft
- Peel and mash the potatoes in a bowl
- Add onion, green chillies, salt, mustard oil and coriander leaves
- Mix well and add lemon juice if desired before serving with a plate of steamed rice and dal
Yellow Masoor Dal
While the rice cooker prepares the rice, let the microwave cook the dal. The trick to making a perfect yellow dal in a microwave is to pre-soak it for at least 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- Soak masoor dal: ½ cup
- Water: 1½ cups
- Onion (chopped): 2 tbsp
- Green chilli (chopped): 1
- Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
- Salt: to taste
- Mustard oil or ghee: 1 tsp
- Coriander leaves (optional): 1 tbsp
Method
- Wash the dal and place it in a microwave-safe bowl with water
- Add turmeric and microwave 8-10 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the dal is soft
- Add onion, green chilli, salt and mustard oil or ghee
- Mix well and microwave for 1 more minute
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice
Grilled Chicken
Don’t let the LPG crisis get in the way of your protein fix. Make this easy 40-minute grilled chicken.
Ingredients
- Chicken (boneless pieces): 250g
- Curd (yoghurt): 3 tbsp
- Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp
- Red chilli powder: ½ tsp
- Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
- Garam masala: ½ tsp
- Lemon juice: 1 tsp
- Salt: to taste
- Oil: 1 tsp
Method
- Mix curd, ginger-garlic paste, spices, lemon juice, salt and oil
- Coat the chicken well and marinate for 20-30 minutes
- Place the chicken in a microwave-safe dish
- Microwave on high for 8-10 minutes, turning once halfway, until cooked
Omelette
There is a misconception that eggs cannot be cooked in the microwave. By the following recipe, you can make a delish omelette within minutes.
Ingredients
- Eggs: 2
- Onion (chopped): 2 tbsp
- Green chilli (chopped): 1
- Milk (optional): 1 tbsp
- Salt: to taste
- Black pepper: ¼ tsp
- Oil or butter: ½ tsp
Method
- Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add onion, green chilli, milk, salt and pepper
- Grease a microwave-safe bowl or mug with oil or butter
- Pour the egg mixture into it
- Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes until set
Poha
In addition to making coffee and heating water for your morning tea, the microwave can also make you your breakfast.
Ingredients
- Poha (flattened rice): 1 cup
- Water: 2-3 tbsp
- Onion (chopped): 2 tbsp
- Green chilli (chopped): 1
- Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
- Salt: to taste
- Oil: 1 tsp
- Peanuts (optional): 2 tbsp
- Lemon juice: 1 tsp
- Coriander leaves (optional): 1 tbsp
Method
- Rinse poha lightly and keep aside for 2-3 minutes to soften
- In a microwave-safe bowl, mix poha, onion, green chilli, turmeric, salt, oil and peanuts
- Sprinkle water and mix well
- Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes
- Add lemon juice and coriander leaves, mix and serve
Bread pizza
For those sudden hunger pangs, try this bread pizza. You will have your evening snack sorted in three minutes.
Ingredients
- Bread slices: 2
- Pizza sauce or tomato ketchup: 2 tbsp
- Onion (chopped): 2 tbsp
- Capsicum (chopped): 2 tbsp
- Mozzarella or processed cheese (grated): ¼ cup
- Chilli flakes (optional): ¼ tsp
- Oregano (optional): ¼ tsp
Method
- Spread pizza sauce or ketchup on the bread slices
- Add onion and capsicum on top
- Sprinkle grated cheese, chilli flakes and oregano
- Place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes until the cheese melts