LIGHT OVEN SolarDOM

OWNERS MANUAL
PLEASE READ THIS OWNERS MANUAL THOROUGHLY BEFORE OPERATING.

MP-9483SL

P/No: 3828W5A4563

Precautions

Precautions to avoid possible exposure to excessive microwave energy.
You cannot operate your oven with the door open due to the safety interlocks built into the door mechanism. These safety interlocks automatically switch off any cooking activity when the door is opened; which in the operation of microwave function could result in harmful exposure to microwave energy. It is important not to tamper with the safety interlocks. Do not place any object between the oven front face and the door or allow food or cleaner residue to accumulate on sealing surfaces. Do not operate your oven if it is damaged. It is particularly important that the oven door closes properly and that there is no damage to the: (1) door(bent), (2) hinges and latches (broken or loosened), (3) door seals and sealing surfaces. Your oven should not be adjusted or repaired by anyone except qualified service personnel.
When heating liquids, e.g. soups, sauces and beverages in your oven with microwave function, delayed eruptive boiling can occur without evidence of bubbling. This could result in a sudden boil over of the hot liquid. To prevent this possibility the following steps should be taken: 1 Avoid using straight sided containers with narrow necks. 2 Do not overheat. 3 Stir the liquid before placing the container in the oven and again halfway through the heating time. 4 After heating, allow to stand in the oven for a short time, stir or shake them(especially the contents of feeding bottles and baby food jars) again carefully and check the temperature of them before consumption to avoid burns (especially, contents of feeding bottles and baby food jars). Be careful when handling the container.

Warning

Please ensure cooking times are correctly set as over cooking may result in the FOOD catching fire and subsequent damage to your oven.
Always allow food to stand after being cooked by microwaves and check the temperature of them before consumption. Especially contents of feeding bottles and baby food jars.

Contents

How the Microwave Function Works
Microwaves are a form of energy similar to radio and television waves and ordinary daylight. Normally, microwaves spread outwards as they travel through the atmosphere and disappear without effect. This ovens, however, have a magnetron which is designed to make use of the energy in microwaves. Electricity, supplied to the magnetron tube, is used to created microwave energy. These microwaves enter the cooking area through openings inside the oven. A turntable or tray is located at the bottom of the oven. Microwaves cannot pass through metal walls of the oven, but they can penetrate such materials as glass, porcelain and paper, the materials out of which microwave-safe cooking dishes are constructed. Microwaves do not heat cookware, though cooking vessels will eventually get hot from the heat generated by the food. Precautions Contents Unpacking & Installing Control Panel Setting the Clock Child Lock Convection Cooking Speed Combi Cooking Speed Auto Cooking Defrost Grill Cooking Micro Power Cooking Micro Power Level Two Stage Cooking Favorite Cook Quick Start More/Less Cooking Important safety instructions Microwave - safe Utensils Food characteristics & Microwave cooking Questions & Answers Plug Wiring Information/Technical Specifications 4~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 31 ~ 34

A very safe appliance

Your oven, Solar DOM, is one of the safest of all home appliances. When the door is opened, the oven automatically stops producing microwaves. Microwave energy is converted completely to heat when it enters food, leaving no left over energy to harm you when you eat your food.
Unpacking & Installing
By following the basic steps on these two pages you will be able to quickly check that your oven is operating correctly. Please pay particular attention to the guidance on where to install your oven. When unpacking your oven make sure you remove all accessories and packing. Check to make sure that your oven has not been damaged during delivery.

Unpack your oven and place it on a flat level surface.
Place the oven in the level location of your choice with more than 85cm height but make sure there is at least 30cm of space on the top and 10cm at the rear for proper ventilation. The front of the oven should be at least min. 8cm/max. 22cm from the edge of the surface to prevent tipping. An exhaust outlet is located on bottom or side of the oven. Blocking the outlet can damage the oven.
HIGH RACK (For grill mode)
LOW RACK (For microwave and convection mode)

METAL TRAY (For defrost)

* THIS OVEN SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR COMMERCIAL CATERING PURPOSES. * THIS OVEN CAN BE USED AS BUILT-IN TYPE. * MUST USE THE BUILT-IN KIT THAT IS MADE BY LG ELECTRONICS.
Plug your oven into a standard household socket. Make sure your oven is the only appliance connected to the socket. If your oven does not operate properly, unplug it from the electrical socket and then plug it back in.
Press the STOP/CLEAR button, and press the START button one time to set 30 seconds of cooking time.
Open your oven door by pulling the DOOR HANDLE. Place the METAL TRAY inside the oven.
The DISPLAY will count down from 30 seconds. When it reaches 0 it will sound BEEPS. Open the oven door and test the temperature of the water. If your oven is operating the water should be warm. Be careful when removing the container it may be hot.
Fill a microwave safe container with 300 ml (1/2 pint) of water. Place on the METAL TRAY and close the oven door. If you have any doubts about what type of container to use please refer to page 30.
YOUR OVEN IS NOW INSTALLED
The contents of feeding bottles and baby food jars shall be stirred or shaken and the temperature checked before consumption, in order to avoid burns.

Control Panel

1. Display Window: You can show time of day, cooking time, power level and cooking categories. 2. Enter: You can determine the selected cooking category, microwave power level or temperature. 3. Clock: You can set the time of day. 4. Grill: You can select the grill categories. 5. Conv.: You can select temperature and time of convection. 6. Speed Combi: You can select the combination categories. 7. Speed Auto Cook: Speed auto cook allows you to cook most of your favorite food quickly by selecting the food type and the weight of the food. 8. Dial Knob: You can set cooking times, temperature, weight and cooking categories. While cooking with auto and manual function, you can lengthen or shorten the cooking time at any point by turning the dial knob(except defrost mode). 9. Defrost: You can select the food type and the weight of the food. 6

To cancel CHILD LOCK press and hold Stop/Clear until L disappears. You will hear BEEP when its released.
In the following example I will show you how to use the convection to cook some food for 50 minutes for 220C temp.

Convection Cooking

The convection oven has a temperature range of 40C and 100C~250C The oven has a ferment function at the oven temperature of 40C. You should wait until the oven is cool because you cannot use a ferment function if the oven temperature is over 40C. It is available to extend the cooking time up to 9 hours in the condition of 40C at convection function for the operating mwo. Your oven will take a few minutes to reach the selected temperature. Once it has reached correct temperature, your oven will BEEP to let you know that it has reached the correct temperature. Then place your food in your oven: then tell your oven to start cooking. The low rack must be used during convection cooking.
1. To Preheat Press Stop/Clear.
2. To Cook Press Stop/Clear.
Press Conv. to select convection mode. Turn Dial knob until display shows 220C.
Press Conv. to select convection mode. Turn Dial knob until display shows 220C. Press Enter for temp. confirmation.
Turn Dial knob until display shows 50:00.
Press Start. Display shows Pr-H.

Press Start.

After cooking you must wear gloves and container to take metal tray out oven, because metal tray is very hot.

Speed combi Cooking

Speed Combi (Co-1, 2, 3)
In the following example I will show you how to programme your oven with micro power 360W and grill for a cooking time of 25 minutes.
Press Speed Combi to select grill combination mode(Co-1, 2, 3). Your oven has a combination cooking feature which allows you to cook food with heater and microwave at the same time or alternately. This generally means it takes less time to cook your food. You can set three kinds of micro power level(180W, 360W and 600W) in speed combi mode. * Speed combi Category Co-1 Co-2 Co-3 Co-4 Co-5 Grill-1 + Microwave power Grill-2 + Microwave power Turn Dial knob until display shows 25:00. Grill-3 + Microwave power (Upper + Lower heater) + Microwave power Convection + Microwave power Press Start.
Turn Dial knob until display shows Co-1. Press Enter for grill-1 confirmation.
Turn Dial knob until display shows 360W. Press Enter for power confirmation.
* Grill mode: Refer to page 20
In the following example I will show you how to programme your oven with micro power 360W and at a temperature 200C for a cooking time of 25 minutes.

Speed Combi (Co-4)

Press Speed Combi to select speed combination mode(Co-4). You can set four kinds of micro power level(0W, 180W, 360W, 600W) in speed combi mode(Co-4). * Speed Combi Category Co-1 Co-2 Co-3 Co-4 Co-5 Grill-1 + Microwave power Grill-2 + Microwave power Grill-3 + Microwave power (Upper + Lower heater) + Microwave power Convection + Microwave power Turn Dial knob until display shows Co-4. Press Enter for speed combi confirmation. Turn Dial knob until display shows 200C. Press Enter for temp. confirmation. Turn Dial knob until display shows 360W. Press Enter for power confirmation. Turn Dial knob until display shows 25:00. Press Start.

Speed Combi (Co-5)

In the following example I will show you how to programme your oven with:- micro power 360W and at a convection temperature 200 C for a cooking time of 25 minutes.
Press Speed Combi to select convection combination mode. Your oven has a combination cooking feature which allows you to cook food with convection temp. and microwave at the same time or alternately. This generally means it takes less time to cook your food. You can set three kinds of micro power level(180W, 360W, 600W) in speed combi mode(Co-5). * Speed Combi Category Co-1 Co-2 Co-3 Co-4 Co-5 Grill-1 + Microwave power Grill-2 + Microwave power Grill-3 + Microwave power (Upper + Lower heater) + Microwave power Convection + Microwave power Turn Dial knob until display shows 360W. Press Enter for power confirmation. Turn Dial knob until display shows 25:00. Press Start. When cooking you can turn DIAL to increase or decrease cooking time. Turn Dial knob until display shows Co-5. Press Enter for convection confirmation.
Turn Dial knob until display shows 200C. Press Enter for temp. confirmation.
In the following example I will show you how to cook 0.4kg of frozen pizza(SC 1).

Speed Auto Cooking

Speed auto cook menus are programmed. Speed auto cook allows you to cook most of your favorite food quickly by selecting the food type and the weight of the food. * Speed auto cook Category SC 1 SC 2 SC 3 SC 4 SC 5 SC 6

Press Speed Auto Cook.

Turn Dial knob until display shows SC 1. Press Enter for category(frozen pizza) confirmation.
Frozen Pizza French Fries Whole Chicken Chicken Pieces Beef Steaks Roast Pork
Turn Dial knob until display shows 0.4kg. Press Start.
In the following example I will show you how to cook 0.6kg of jacket potatoes(SC 8).
SPEED AUTO COOK allows you to cook most of your favorite food quickly by selecting the food type and the weight of the food. * Speed auto cook Category SC 7 SC 8 SC 9 SC 10 SC 11 SC 12
Roast Beef Jacket Potatoes
Turn Dial knob until display shows SC 8. Press Enter for category confirmation.
Frozen Dinners Fresh Vegetables Frozen Vegetables Rice/Pasta Turn Dial knob until display shows 0.6kg. Press Start.

Jacket Potatoes

0.2~1.0kg

SC 9 SC 10

Frozen Dinners

0.4~1.0kg

Low rack + Metal tray Low rack + Microwavesafe bowl with cover

Frozen Room

Fresh 0.2~1.0kg Vegetables
Frozen 0.2~1.0kg Vegetables
Low rack + Metal tray + Microwavesafe bowl with cover
Function Category Rice / Pasta Weight Limit 0.1~0.3kg Utensil Low rack + Metal tray + Microwavesafe bowl with cover Food Temp. Room Instructions Place rice & boiling water with 1/4 to 1 teaspoon salt in a deep and large bowl(3L). When beeps, stir once.
Weight Water Rice Pasta 100g 250ml 300ml 200g 350ml 600ml 300g 480ml 900ml Cover Yes No

Speed auto SC 12 cook

** Rice - After cooking, stand covered for 5 minutes or until water is absorbed. ** Pasta - During the cooking, stir several times if required. After cooking, stand 1 - 2 minutes. Rinse pasta with cold water. < Metal Tray > < Low Rack + Metal Tray >

Defrost

* When defrosting, use metal tray only.
The temperature and density of food varies, I would recommend that the food is checked before cooking commences. Pay particular attention to large joints of meat and chicken, some foods should not be completely thawed before cooking. For example fish cooks so quickly that it is sometimes better to begin cooking while still slightly frozen. The BREAD programme is suitable for defrosting small items such as rolls or a small loaf. These will require a standing time to allow the centre to thaw. In the following example I will show you how to defrost 1.4Kg of frozen poultry. Press Stop/Clear. Weight the food that you are about to defrost. Be certain to remove any metallic ties or wraps; then place the food on microwave safe dish on metal tray in your oven and close the oven door.
Press Defrost once. Your oven has four microwave defrost settings:- MEAT, POULTRY, FISH and BREAD; each defrost category has different power settings. Repeated presses of the Defrost button will select a different setting. Category MEAT POULTRY FISH BREAD Defrost No. dEF1 dEF2 dEF3 dEF4 During defrosting your oven will BEEP, at which point open the oven door, turn food over and separate to ensure even thawing. Remove any portions that have thawed or shield them to help slow down thawing. After checking close the oven door and press Start to resume defrosting. Your oven will not stop defrosting (even when the beep sounded) unless the door is opened. 18 Press Start. Turn Dial knob until display shows dEF2.

Press Enter for category(poultry) confirmation. Enter the weight of the frozen food that you are about to defrost. Turn Dial knob until display shows 1.4kg for the weight of frozen food.

DEFROSTING GUIDE

* Food to be defrosted should be in a suitable microwave proof container and place uncovered on the metal tray. * If necessary, shield small areas of meat or poultry with flat pieces of aluminum foil. This will prevent thin areas becoming warm during defrosting. Ensure the foil does not touch the oven walls. * Separate items like minced meat, chops, sausages and bacon as soon as possible. When BEEP, turn food over. Remove defrosted portions. Continue to defrost remaining pieces. After defrosting, allow to stand until completely thawed. * For example joints of meat and whole chickens should STAND for a minimum of 1 hour before cooking.

Category

Meat (dEF1)

Weight Limit

0.1 ~ 4.0 kg

Utensil

Meat Minced beef, Fillet steak, Cubes for stew, Sirloin steak, Pot roast, Rump roast, Beef burger Pork chops, Lamp chops, Rolled roast, Sausage, Cutlets(2cm) Turn food over at beep. After defrosting, let stand for 5-15 minutes. Poultry Whole chicken, Legs, Breasts, Turkey breasts(under 2.0kg) Turn food over at beep. After defrosting, let stand for 20-30 minutes. Fish Fillets, Steaks, Whole fish, Sea foods Turn food over at beep. After defrosting, let stand for 10-20 minutes.

Poultry (dEF2)

Fish (dEF3)

Bread (dEF4)

0.1 ~ 0.5 kg
Sliced bread, Buns, Baguette, etc.

Grill Cooking

In the following example I will show you how to use the Grill-1 to cook some food for 12 minutes and 30 seconds.
Press Grill to select grill mode. This feature will allow you to brown and crisp food quickly. The grill rack is placed on the metal tray at the grill mode. The high rack must be used during grill cooking. Turn Dial knob until display shows gr-1. Press Enter for grill confirmation. Category Grill-1 Grill-2 Grill-3 Display gr-1 gr-2 gr-3 Heater Operating Upper Heater(2000W) Upper Heater(1100W) Lower Heater(700W)
Turn Dial knob until display shows 12:30. Press Start.
In the following example I will show you how to cook some food on 600W power for 5 minutes and 30 seconds.

Micro Power Cooking

Make sure that you have correctly installed your oven as described earlier in this book. Press Stop/Clear.
Press Micro once to select microwave mode. Your oven has five microwave Power settings. High power is automatically selected and turning of dial will select a different power level. Turn Dial knob until display shows 600W. Press Enter for power confirmation.
POWER HIGH MEDIUM HIGH MEDIUM DEFROST MEDIUM LOW LOW
900 W 600 W 360 W Turn Dial knob until display shows 5:30.

90 W 21

Micro Power Level

POWER LEVEL

This oven is equipped with 5 power levels to give you maximum flexibility and control over cooking. The table below shows the examples of food and their recommended cooking power levels for use with this oven.

OUTPUT

* Boil Water * Brown minced beef * Cook poultry pieces, fish, vegetables * Cook tender cuts of meat * All reheating * Roast meat and poultry * Cook mushrooms and shellfish * Cook foods containing cheese and eggs * Bake cakes and scones * Prepare eggs * Cook custard * Prepare rice, soup * All thawing * Melt butter and chocolate * Cook less tender cuts of meat * Soften butter & cheese * Soften ice cream * Raise yeast dough Metal Tray Low Rack + Metal Tray

ACCESSORY

MEDIUM HIGH

MEDIUM

DEFROST/ MEDIUM LOW

Low Rack + Metal Tray

In the following example I will show you how to cook some food in two stages. The first stages will cook your food for 11 minutes on HIGH(900W); the second will cook for 35 minutes on 360W.

Two stage Cooking

Press Stop/Clear. Set the power and the cooking time for stage1. Press Micro once to select microwave mode.
During two stage cooking the oven door can be opened and food checked. Close the oven door and press Start and the cooking stage will continue. At the end of stage1, BEEP sounds and stage 2 commences. Should you wish to clear the programme press Stop/Clear twice.
Turn Dial knob until display shows 900W. Press Enter for power confirmation. Turn Dial knob until display shows 11:00.
Set the power and the cooking time for stage2. Press Micro once to select microwave mode.
Turn Dial knob until display shows 360W. Press Enter for power confirmation. Turn Dial knob until display shows 35:00. Press Start.

Favorite Cook

1. To Set
This feature allows you to set and execute a frequently used single stage programme. Once the cooking programme is set, you can use it by pressing the favorite cook key. In the following example I will show you how to set the cooking programme for 10 minutes 30 seconds on 600W power.

Press Favorite button, FA-1 appears on the display. The cooking programme can be stored in the memory of your oven. If you wish to change your FAVORITE COOK, simply enter a new cooking programme. You can store up to 9 mode. (FA-1~FA-9) Press Micro.
Turn Dial knob until display shows 600W Press Enter. Turn Dial knob until display shows 10:30 Press Favorite. (Press Start, the cooking programme will be stored in the memory of your oven and cooking start) Successfully finished setting the favorite cook.

2. To Cook

When you cook, use it by pressing the favorite button. Press Favorite until display shows FA-1.
3. To replace programme (if any cooking is programmed at FA-1)
Press Favorite button, FA-1 and cooking data appears on the display. Press one of Function buttons you want to programme. Set a new cooking programme. Press Favorite. (Press Start, the cooking programme will be stored in the memory of your oven and cooking start)

Quick Start

In the following example I will show you how to set 2 minutes of cooking on high power(900W).
The Quick Start feature allows you to set 30 seconds intervals of HIGH power(900W) cooking with pressing of the Quick Start button.
Press Quick Start four times to select 2 minutes on HIGH power(900W). Your oven will start before you have finished the fourth press.
During Quick Start cooking, you can extend the cooking time up to 9 minutes 59 seconds by repeatedly pressing the Quick Start button.
In the following example I will show you how to change the preset SPEED AUTO COOK programmes for a longer or shorter cooking time.

More or Less Cooking

If you find that your food is over or undercooked when using the SPEED AUTO COOK programme, you can increase or decrease cooking time by turning the DIAL knob. You can lengthen or shorten the cooking time(except defrost mode) at any point by turning the DIAL knob. Cooking time 0~3 min. 3~20 min. 20~30 min. 30~90 min. Increas or Decrease time 10 Sec. 30 Sec. 1 Min. 5 Min.
Set the required SPEED AUTO COOK programme. *See SPEED AUTO COOK. (Page 13) Select weight of food. Press Start.
Turn DIAL knob. The cooking time will increase or decrease.
Important safety instructions Read carefully and keep for future reference
1 Do not attempt to tamper with, or make any adjustments or repairs to the door, control panel, safety interlock switches or any other part of the oven. It is hazardous for anyone to carry out any service or repair operation which involves the removal of any cover which gives protection against exposure to microwave energy. Repairs should only be undertaken by a qualified service technician. 2 Do not operate the oven when empty. It is best to leave a glass of water in the oven when not in use. The water will safely absorb all microwave energy, if the oven is accidentally started. 3 Do not use the oven for the purpose of dehumidification. It can be the cause of serious damage of safety. (ex. Operating the microwave oven with the wet newspapers, clothes, toys, pet or portable electric devices, etc.) 4 Do not cook food wrapped in paper towels, unless your cook book contains instructions, for the food you are cooking. 5 Do not use newspaper in place of paper towels for cooking. 6 Do not use wooden containers. They may heat-up and char. Do not use ceramic containers which have metallic (e.g. gold or silver) inlays. Always remove metal twist ties. Metal objects in the oven may arc, which can cause serious damage. 7 Do not operate the oven with a kitchen towel, a napkin or any other obstruction between the door and the front edges of the oven, which may cause microwave energy leakage. 8 Do not use recycled paper products since they may contain impurities which may cause sparks and/or fires when used in cooking. 9 Do not rinse the turntable by placing it in water just after cooking. This may cause breakage or damage. 10 Small amounts of food require shorter cooking or heating time. If normal times are allowed they may overheat and burn. 11 Be certain to place the oven so the front of the door is 8 cm or more behind the edge of the surface on which it is placed, to avoid accidental 28 tipping of the appliance.

WARNING Please ensure cooking times are correctly set as over cooking may result in FIRE and subsequent DAMAGE to the OVEN.
12 Before cooking, pierce the skin of potatoes, apples or any such fruit or vegetable. 13 Do not cook eggs in their shell. Pressure will build up inside the egg which will burst. 14 Do not attempt deep fat frying in your oven. 15 Remove the plastic wrapping from food before cooking or defrosting. Note though that in some cases food should be covered with plastic film, for heating or cooking. 16 If the oven door or door seals are damaged, the oven must not be operated until it has been repaired by a qualified service technician. 17 If smoke is observed, switch off or disconnect the oven from the power supply and keep the oven door closed in order to stifle any flames. 18 When food is heated or cooked in disposable containers of plastic, paper or other combustible materials, check the oven frequently due to the possibility of the food container is deteriorating. 19 Only allow children to use the oven without supervision when adequate instructions have been given so that the child is able to use the oven in a safe way and understands the hazards of improper use. 20 Liquids or other foods must not be heated in sealed containers since they are liable to explode. 21 Do not operate the oven, if the door seals and adjacent parts of the microwave oven are faulty, until the oven has been repaired by a qualified service technician. 22 Check the utensils are suitable for use in microwave ovens before use. 23 Do not touch the oven door, outer cabinet, rear cabinet, oven cavity, accessories and dishes during grill mode, convection mode and auto cook operations, unless wearing thick oven gloves, as they will become hot. Before clearing make sure they are not hot.
24 Only use utensils that are suitable for use in microwave ovens. 25 When heating food in plastic or paper containers, keep an eye on the oven due to the possibility of ignition. 26 If smoke is observed, switch off or unplug the appliance and keep the door closed in order to stifle any flames. 27 Microwave heating of beverages can result in delayed eruptive boiling, therefore care must be taken when handing the container. 28 The contents of feeding bottles and baby food jars shall be stirred or shaken and the temperature checked before consumption, in order to avoid burns. 29 Eggs in their shell and whole hard-boiled eggs should not be heated in microwave ovens since they may explode, even after microwave heating has ended. 30 Details for cleaning door seals, cavities and adjacent parts. 31 The oven should be cleaned regularly and any food deposits removed. 32 Failure to maintain the oven in a clean condition could lead to deterioration of the surface that could adversely affect the life of the appliance and possibly result in a hazardous situation. 33 Only use the temperature probe recommended for this oven (for appliances having a facility to use a temperature-sensing probe). 34 If heating elements are provided, during use the appliance becomes hot. Care should be taken to avoid touching heating elements inside the oven. 35 The appliance is not intended for use by young children or infirm persons without supervision.

WARNING: If the door or door seals are damaged, the oven must not be operated until it has been repaired by a competent person. WARNING: It is hazardous for anyone other than a competent person to carry out any service or repair operation that involves the removal of a cover which gives protection against exposure to microwave energy. WARNING: Liquids and other foods must not be heated in sealed containers since they are liable to explode. WARNING: Only allow children to use the oven without supervision when adequate instructions have been given so that the child is able to use the oven in a safe way and understands the hazards of improper use.

Microwave-safe Utensils

Never use metal or metal trimmed utensils in using microwave function Microwaves cannot penetrate metal. They will bounce off any metal object in the oven and cause arcing, an alarming phenomenon that resembles lightning. Most heat resistant non metallic cooking utensils are safe for use in your oven. However, some may contain materials that render them unsuitable as microwave cookware. If you have any doubts about a particular utensil, theres a simple way to find out if it can be used in using microwave function. Place the utensil in question next to a glass bowl filled with water in using microwave function. Microwave at power HIGH for 1 minute. If the water heats up but the utensil remains cool to the touch, the utensil is microwave~safe. However, if the water does not change temperature but the utensil becomes warm, microwaves are being absorbed by the utensil and it is not safe for use in using microwave function. You probably have many items on hand in your kitchen right now that can be used as cooking equipment in using microwave function. Just read through the following checklist. Dinner plates Many kinds of dinner-ware are microwave-safe. If in doubt consult the manufacturers literature or perform the microwave test. Glassware Glassware that is heat-resistant is microwave-safe. This would include all brands of oven tempered glass cookware. However, do not use delicate glassware, such as tumblers or wine glasses, as these might shatter as the food warms. Plastic storage containers These can be used to hold foods that are to be quickly reheated. However, they should not be used to hold foods that will need considerable time in the oven as hot foods will eventually warp or melt plastic containers. Paper Paper plates and containers are convenient and safe to use in using microwave function, provided that the cooking time is short and foods to be cooked are low in fat and moisture. Paper towels are also very useful for wrapping foods and for lining baking trays in which greasy foods such as bacon are cooked. In general, avoid coloured paper products as the colour may run. Some recycled paper products may contain impurities which could cause arcing or fires when used in using microwave function. Plastic cooking bags Provided they are made specially for cooking, cooking bags are microwave safe. However, be sure to make a slit in the bag so that steam can escape. Never use ordinary plastic bags for cooking in using microwave function, as they will melt and rupture. Plastic microwave cookware A variety of shapes and sizes of microwave cookware are available. For the most part, you can probably use items you already have on hand rather than investing in new kitchen equipment. Pottery, stoneware and ceramic Containers made of these materials are usually fine for use in using microwave function, but they should be tested to be sure.

CAUTION

Some items with high lead or iron content are not suitable for cooking utensils. Utensils should be checked to ensure that they are suitable for use in using microwave function.
Food characteristics & Microwave cooking
Keeping an eye on things The recipes in the book have been formulated with great care, but your success in preparing them depends on how much attention you pay to the food as it cooks. Always watch your food while it cooks. Your microwave function is equipped with a light that turns on automatically when the oven is in operation so that you can see inside and check the progress of your food. Directions given in recipes to elevate, stir, and the like should be thought of as the minimum steps recommended. If the food seems to be cooking unevenly, simply make the necessary adjustments you think appropriate to correct the problem. Factors affecting microwave cooking times Many factors affect cooking times. The temperature of ingredients used in a recipe makes a big difference in cooking times. For example, a cake made with ice-cold butter, milk, and eggs will take considerably longer to bake than one made with ingredients that are at room temperature. All of the recipes in this book give a range of cooking times. In general, you will find that the food remains undercooked at the lower end of the time range, and you may sometimes want to cook your food beyond the maximum time given, according to personal preference. The governing philosophy of this book is that it is best for a recipe to be conservative in giving cooking times. While overcooked food is ruined for good. Some of the recipes, particularly those for bread, cake, and custards, recommend that food be removed from the oven when they are slightly undercooked. This is not a mistake. When allowed to stand, usually covered, these foods will continue to cook outside of the oven as the heat trapped within the outer portions of the food gradually travels inward. If the food is left in the oven until it is cooked all the way through, the outer portions will become overcooked or even burnt. You will become increasingly skilful in estimating both cooking and standing times for various foods. Density of food Light, porous food such as cakes and breads cook more quickly than heavy, dense foods such as roasts and casseroles. You must take care when microwaving porous food that the outer edges do not become dry and brittle. Height of food The upper portion of tall food, particularly roasts, will cook more quickly than the lower portion. Therefore, it is wise to turn tall food during cooking, sometimes several times.

To Clean Your Oven

1 Keep the inside of the oven clean Food spatters or spilled liquids stick to oven walls and between seal and door surface. It is best to wipe up spillovers with a damp cloth right away. Crumbs and spillovers will absorb microwave energy and lengthen cooking times. Use a damp cloth to wipe out crumbs that fall between the door and the frame. It is important to keep this area clean to assure a tight seal. Remove greasy spatters with a soapy cloth then rinse and dry. Do not use harsh detergent or abrasive cleaners. The metal tray can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher. 2 Keep the outside of the oven clean Clean the outside of your oven with soap and water then with clean water and dry with a soft cloth or paper towel. To prevent damage to the operating parts inside the oven, the water should not be allowed to seep into the ventilation openings. To clean control panel, open the door to prevent oven from accidentally starting, and wipe a damp cloth followed immediately by a dry cloth. Press Stop/Clear after cleaning. 3 If steam accumulates inside or around the outside of the oven door, wipe the panels with a soft cloth. This may occur when the oven is operated under high humidity conditions and in no way indicates a malfunction of the unit. 4 The door and door seals should be kept clean. Use only warm, soapy water, rinse then dry thoroughly. DO NOT USE ABRASIVE MATERIALS, SUCH AS CLEANING POWDERS OR STEEL AND PLASTIC PADS. Metal parts will be easier to maintain if wiped frequently with a damp cloth.

Questions & Answers

Q Whats wrong when the oven light will not glow? A There may be several reasons why the oven light will not glow. Light bulb has blown Relay is failed Q Does microwave energy pass through the viewing screen in the door? A No. The holes, or ports, are made to allow light to pass; they do not let microwave energy through. Q Why does the beep tone sound when a button on the Control Panel is touched? A The beep tone sounds to assure that the setting is being properly entered. Q Will the microwave function be damaged if it operates empty? A Yes Never run it empty or without the metal tray. Q Why do eggs sometimes pop? A When baking, frying, or poaching eggs, the yolk may pop due to steam build up inside the yolk membrane. To prevent this, simply pierce the yolk before cooking. Never microwave eggs in the shell. Q Why is standing time recommended after microwave cooking is over? A After microwave cooking is finished, food keeps on cooking during standing time. This standing time finishes cooking evenly throughout the food. The amount of standing time depends on the density of the food. Q Is it possible to cook popcorn in this oven? A Yes, if using one of the two methods described below 1 Popcorn-popping utensils designed specifically for microwave cooking. 2 Prepackaged commercial microwave popcorn that contains specific times and power outputs needed for an acceptable final product. FOLLOW EXACT DIRECTIONS GIVEN BY EACH MANUFACTURER FOR THEIR POPCORN PRODUCT. DO NOT LEAVE THE OVEN UNATTENDED WHILE THE CORN IS BEING POPPED. IF CORN FAILS TO POP AFTER THE SUGGESTED TIMES, DISCONTINUE COOKING. OVERCOOKING COULD RESULT IN THE CORN CATCHING FIRE. CAUTION NEVER USE A BROWN PAPER BAG FOR POPPING CORN. NEVER ATTEMPT TO POP LEFTOVER KERNELS. Q Why doesnt my oven always cook as fast as the cooking guide says? A Check your cooking guide again to make sure youve followed directions correctly, and to see what might cause variations in cooking time. Cooking guide times and heat settings are suggestions, chosen to help prevent overcooking, the most common problem in getting used to a this oven. Variations in the size, shape, weight and dimensions of the food require longer cooking time. Use your own judgement along with the cooking guide suggestions to test food condition, lust as you would do with a conventional cooker.