Can I use a solo microwave (one without a grill or fan heater) to do the
following:

Cook porridge
Warm pitta bread
cook pasta
cook beans/pulses
cook bean sprouts
cook brown basmatti rice
cook vegetable stews
brown/fry onions
do stir-frys
cook curries starting with basic curry ingredients like Turmeric & mustard
seeds

Is a Panasonic microwave with an inverter better for simmering things like
pulses?

Boyo wrote:

> Can I use a solo microwave (one without a grill or fan heater) to do the
> following:
>
> Cook porridge

Yes.

> Warm pitta bread

Yes.

> cook pasta

No.

> cook beans/pulses

No.

> cook bean sprouts

Yes.

> cook brown basmatti rice

Yes.

> cook vegetable stews

Yes. Or at least heat them through.

> brown/fry onions

Sort of. Things don't really "brown" in microwave ovens. They'll soften,
though.

> do stir-frys

Sort of. Be careful with what you do that in if you use oil. It won't
come out like it would using a wok or pan.

> cook curries starting with basic curry ingredients like Turmeric & mustard
> seeds

Not in the traditional sense. Microwave ovens aren't the best for
"frying" anything, even seeds for curries.

> Is a Panasonic microwave with an inverter better for simmering things like
> pulses?

No, a proper stove is. You may want a single hob cooker if you're going
to do that. Or a slow cooker (crockpot).

You can find microwave cookbooks that will give you shortcuts and advice
for using them to cook things you would more conventionally. I don't
care to use mine except for reheating.