Cooking -- Part 3

The Microwave

Indian kitchens do not have ovens like we have in the U.S. and Europe. Baking is not a typical cooking method. Their microwave ovens, though, do incorporate a broiler, a rotisserie, and a convection oven. Of course, this is a small oven. At most you have room to roast a small chicken or bake a 10-inch round cake. Cookies would be next to impossible, as you could only bake about 9 at a time! (Lon compares it to the incomparable "Easy Bake Oven"!)


I am assured by the Owner's Manual that the microwave is "A very safe appliance." "Microwave energy is converted completely to heat when it enters food, leaving no 'left over' energy to harm you when you eat your food."

The microwave also has a number of special menus that I haven't explored, and most likely will not.  These menus include: "Nutri Care", "Indian Rasoi", "24 Hours", "Just 4 U", "Utility Corner", and "Body Care". The menus go deeper to such items as "Health Plus" and "Continental" under "Nutri Care".

As you can tell from these titles, this is a microwave made specifically for the Indian market with a translation from Korean to English, and apparently then transliterated to Hindi. For example, the "24 Hours" menu is literally transliterated 24 आवर्स ("Aawars" -- sound that out -- you get an approximation of how we pronounce "hours"). A translation would use the Hindi word for "hour", घंटा ("ghantaa"). The exception to this is "Indian Rasoi" (the "oi" is pronounced "oh-ee"), where "rasoi" is an English transliteration of रसोई , the Hindi word for "food, dish, cuisine" and also a short form of "kitchen".

The refrigerator is also customized for India. It includes three spice boxes and a storage compartment for "Beauty & Care". The door is lockable (??), beeps loudly if you've kept it open too long, and has a floral design. (Everything in India must be decorated!)

And while I'm on the subject of decorated surfaces, the photos below show two pieces of art on our tiled kitchen walls.

The cooking adventure continues!