The other hotplates
The hotplate controls can be turned both clockwise and anticlockwise. They have fixed settings, 1 to 6 (6 is the hottest). Turn the control to the setting you require: 0 No heat. 1 Simmer, gentle to medium heat. 2 Simmer, medium heat to hot. Frying, gentle heat. 3 Frying, gentle to medium heat. 4 Frying, medium heat to hot. 5 Frying, hot. 6 Boiling, very hot. 0 Retained heat. You can normally start cooking with the hotplate switched to maximum heat before turning it down to a lower heat.
Choosing suitable pans
To help you save both time and energy, the bases of saucepans and frying pans should: � be at least as large as the hotplate. If the base is smaller than the hotplate, any spillages are quite likely to burn onto the hob. � be flat. It takes longer to heat a pan with a base which curves in or outwards too much. When you are buying new pans, it is advisable to choose stainless steel ones with sandwich-type bases (i.e. layers of different metals).
Save energy!
� Putting a lid on pans cuts the amount of energy used by half (compared to cooking without lids). � Using pans with flat bases saves 25% energy (compared to uneven based pans). � Make sure the hob is clean and dry. Dirt and moisture reduce heat transfer between pans and hotplates. � Turn the hotplates off and finish cooking using the remaining heat. � Save energy by steaming and pressure-cooking.
