Getting Stubborn Stains off Your Microwave

Prevention is always better than cure. Yet stains and grime on kitchen is the bane of a cook's existence.

Cover food stuff like gravies with a microwave safe loose lid. This ensures that the walls of the microwave are not splattered with gravy. Be very careful while opening the lid. Use gloves and don't lean in too close. The escaping steam can burn you.

 In spite of all the care, you may still find ugly blotches sticking to your microwave. Don't get frustrated.

Here's how you get it off.

1/2 lime + 1 heaped tbsp of baking soda + 2 cups water microwaved on high for 5 minutes + wiping with a warm damp cloth immediately. Hot steam, lime and soda will have softened the grime making it easy to wipe off. 

Do this regularly, you don't have to worry about the foodstuff sticking to the walls, affecting the flavour/health of the food you are currently cooking. 

Regular microwave users can clean it every night with a warm damp cloth - just like you clean your LPG stove, when you are done for the day.  You can give it the lemon - soda treatment every fortnight.

Jack Fruit Seeds Pepper Roast

Ingredients:
Jackfruit seeds - 20 - 25
Tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Pepper ( coarsely ground) - 2 tsp or to taste
Shahi jeera- 1 tsp
Oil 2-3 tbsp

Method:
Step 1: Cut open the white jacket of the jackfruit seeds using either a sharp pointed knife or scissors.  Discard the jacket.
Step 2: Slit the seeds lengthwise into 4 pieces
Step 3: Place the seeds in a flat microwave dish add turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.
Step 4: Sprinkle about 50 ml of water. Make that all the pieces are atleast half immersed in water- (use a square microwave dish). Cook in microwave high for about 6 minutes. All the water gets absorbed.
Step 5:  Heat oil in a flat- bottomed non-stick frying pan. Add shahi jeera. when it splutters, add the jackfruit seeds stir well. Now add ground pepper.
Step 6: Simmer and cook till it turns crisp but not burnt.