A solar cooker can cook food without any cooking gas or kerosene, electricity, coal or wood. This cooker works with the solar energy, which is available free. A solar cooker can cook two meals per day for four to five persons. Solar Cooker suits very well for the food habits and meal timings of rural households.
Solar Cooker can be used for cooking several items like pulses, rice, kheer, khichri, vegetables, cereals, etc. Some special dishes like Muthia, Handva, Patra, Idli, Dhokla, Lapsi, Dudhpak, Pulao and soups can also be cooked. To add to the list, we can bake bread, biscuits, cake and nankhatai, etc. The non-vegetarian items like fish, chicken, meat curry, shahi kababs, etc., which are boiled or roasted can also be prepared in a solar cooker.
Solar Cooker cannot be used for making rotis, chapatis, rotla etc. as well as for frying. It can’t cook food for more than 4-5 persons at a time. It is not useful during non-sunny days.
How a Solar Cooker Works?
Keep the solar cooker in the sun in open space free from any shadow. Keep the cooker in the sun at least for 45 minutes before loading it with cooking pots. This will keep the cooker ready for cooking and reduce the cooking time.
Adjust the cooker in such a way that the reflecting mirror faces the sun and the reflected rays fall on the transparent glass lid. Tighten the position fixing hinges of the mirror in this position.
Open the glass lid of the solar cooker, place the cooking pots inside it and close the lid properly. Once the cooking pots have been placed inside the cooker the lid should not be opened.
While removing the cooking pots after the food has been cooked, gloves or cloth napkins should be used. The lid should be opened fully.
