Basic Cooking Guide
Cooking times are based on a 1000W microwave oven. Adjust times according to your microwave size.
VEGETABLES WITH CHEESE SAUCE
- 2 tbsp (30ml) flour
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp margarine/butter
- 1 cup milk
Put the vegetables in an Argilla bowl and sprinkle with the flour. Add dollops of margarine, the salt, pepper and the milk. Microwave covered for 3-minutes. Stir and cook until done. Garnish with cheese and serve.
POTATO CHIPS
- 1 medium potato per person – cut into strips
- 5ml oil for each potato
Rinse the potato strips and dry them on a (paper) towel. Put the strips in a plastic bag. Add the oil and shake to cover. Transfer the strips to an Argilla bowl. Cover with the lid and microwave for 2-minutes on high. Check and microwave uncovered for another 2-minutes. Season and serve.
BEETROOT & POTATO
Rinse 5 beetroots/potatoes. Place in an Argilla bowl, cover and microwave for 10-12 minutes on medium high (70% power).
GEM SQUASH
Halve and remove pips. Sprinkle with sugar or salt, add a dash of margarine and 50ml water. Microwave for 3-minutes each.
SWEET POTATO
Add 30ml brown sugar and margarine to 500g sliced sweet potatoes. Bake for 30-minutes at 160°C or microwave for 15-minutes.
Butternut
Cut in half. Place with skin and pips in a bowl. Without adding water, microwave covered for 7-10 minutes. Remove pips and peel. Cube and microwave for 5-minutes. Flavour to taste.
PASTA & WHEAT
- 250-500ml pasta
Cover with hot tap water. Add a dash of cooking oil and salt. Microwave for 10-minutes, allow to stand for 10-minutes. Drain and serve.
OATS
- 1-cup oats
- 2½-cups water
- salt to taste
Microwave for 4-minutes, stirring after 2-minutes. Add butter/margarine and serve.
CORN ON THE COB
Place corn in the Medium Oval Roaster. Microwave covered for 4-minutes per cob. Brush with butter and season to taste.
CARROTS
Bake 500g carrots with sugar, margarine and a little water for 30-minutes at 160°C or microwave for 15-minutes.
Mash
Place cubes of 4-large potatoes in a roaster. Add salt, pepper and butter/margarine to taste. Bake at 160°C for 1-hour or microwave for 15-minutes. Allow to cool slightly then mash. Add milk or cream and 5ml baking powder. Microwave for 3-minutes and serve hot.
Curry
Fry chopped onions in a frying pan on the stove until golden brown. Add salt, curry and other spices. Stir in ½ cup of smooth apricot jam. Place meat in the roaster. Place potatoes and/or mixed vegetables on top of the meat. Pour the curry jam-mixture over the meat. Cover and bake for 2-3hours at 140°C.
RICE
- 1 cup of rice
- 2 or 3-cups of water
- 5ml salt
Cook for 1-hour at 160°C in the oven -or- microwave for 5-minutes on high (lid on) + 20-minutes on medium-high without the lid on. Set aside for 5-10 minutes before serving.
PAP
Microwave dry maize meal and salt for 1-minute. Add hot water and stir well. Microwave covered for 3-minutes. Stir and microwave for another 3-5 minutes. Allow to stand for 3-minutes before serving.
STYWE PAP: 1-cup maize meal, 3-cups hot tap water.
KRUMMEL PAP: 1-cup maize meal, 1-cup hot tap water.
SLAP PAP: 1-cup maize meal, 5-cups hot tap water.
All meats can be cooked without extra water, oil or fat but you may add any liquids, herbs or spices of your choice.
Leg / Roast
(per 450g at 160°C)
MEDIUM: 15-minutes
WELL DONE: 20-minutes
WELL DONE (Slow roasting at 140°C): Cook for 40-minutes until beginning to brown, then turn down the temperature to 120°C and double the remaining cooking time.
CHICKEN
(Whole ± 1.5kg at 160°C)
PLAIN: 1 – 1½ hours.
STUFFED: 1½ – 2-hours.
MICROWAVE: 10-12 minutes per 450g on medium-high (70% power).
