Don't 'geh kiang' - never microwave these things

1. Anything fried

Even at a low heat, microwaving fried food such as fries and fried chicken will dehydrate them further and make them really hard to bite into. Literally!

2. Bread

I’ve learnt that the microwave oven is not the best reheating tool for soft or hard bread out of the fridge. Unless you choose the lowest heat, your bread becomes rock hard seconds after it’s out of the oven. Steaming the bread in a wok filled with water warms it up and keeps it soft and moist.

3. Hard-boiled eggs

I once made the mistake of reheating hard boiled eggs in a stew… in a microwave. The result: a mini explosion which unhinged some parts of the oven and splattered smashed eggs and gravy all over. I had to throw away the relatively new oven.

Lesson learnt: microwave ovens emit radio waves that warm up food. This means that any food with moisture in it will release steam. But steam cannot escape any food that is encased in a shell or skin. All that pent-up pressure is the recipe for a messy, and potentially risky, eruption. 

4. Fruit

For the same reason, moisture-packed fruit with skin such as grapes will also “explode” in the microwave oven.

5. Gravy and sauces

Their thick consistency causes steam pressure to build up until everything erupts into a mess. Either reheat gravy and sauces on the stove (where you can stir them constantly to release the steam pressure) or choose the lowest temperature setting.

Cover the container with a lid but only partly to allow the pressure to escape.

6. Processed meats

It has been reported that microwaving sausages, bacon and, oh yes, luncheon meat releases even more of the harmful substances that cause high cholesterol and heart disease.

7. Frozen meats

While thawing them in a microwave oven seems quick and convenient, the uneven distribution of heat can overcook certain portions but undercook others. This then creates the perfect breeding ground for bacteria to grow. Hello, tummyache and food poisoning.

8. Erm, air

Not that you would do this intentionally, we hope. But sometimes, you may get distracted and forget that you haven’t popped your food into the oven yet before turning it on. Switching on an empty microwave oven will cause an explosion as the radio waves do not have anything to warm up.

This article was first published in Wonderwall.sg.