Five life-saving microwave uses

Ask most people what they think the microwave is used for and they will most likely say it is used to re-heat food. This is correct, but a microwave can be used for many other things in the kitchen.

It is a kitchen life-saver and will definitely reduce your cooking time once you get the hack. Some of them include:

To dry herbs/leaves: If you have an abundance of fresh herbs that you need to preserve, (for instance, jute leaves, popularly called ewedu) you can do this by using your microwave to dry them. Wash the leaves properly to get rid of any dirt, then pat them dry if there’s any water left on them. Take some of the herbs at a time, put them between two sheets of paper towels, and heat them in the microwave for two to three minutes on high power. If they need more drying, keep going for another 30 seconds. When they are done, take them out and use your fingers to break the leaves. Store them in an airtight container.

To peel garlic: Peeling garlic can be stressful because of its size and also because of its strong smell. To avoid this, put the garlic inside a bowl and place it in the microwave for about 40 to 50 seconds. The heat from the microwave will draw out the moisture from the garlic clove. The skin of the garlic will easily slide off after this once you try to use your hand to peel them.

To fry egg: Coat your bowl with oil and break the egg inside. Add a pinch of salt and cover. Place inside the microwave and cook it for 15 seconds. If after 15 seconds, it is not yet cooked to your satisfaction, put it inside again and set it for another 15 seconds till it is ready.

To chop onions without getting teary: Trim off the ends of the onion, then heat them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. After this, you will be tear-free while chopping your onions.

To ripen bananas: If you can’t wait for a bunch of bananas to ripen, you can use the microwave to speed up the process. Simply use a fork to poke holes all over the bananas to avoid it from exploding, then put it in the microwave for a minute or two.

NOTE: To clean your microwave, measure about half cup of water into a bowl. Slice a lemon in half and put them into the water. Drop both halves inside the water too after squeezing. Place the bowl inside the microwave and place on high power for about three minutes so the liquid comes to a boil. After this is done, do not open the microwave yet. Let it sit inside for another five minutes. The steam trapped inside will help to loosen the entire food gunk that might be stuck inside the microwave. You can thereafter open the microwave, remove the bowl and wipe thoroughly.

PHOTOS: Internet

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