Stir fry with chicken, mushrooms, green beans and sweet peppers
Elena_Danileiko/iStock/GettyImages

A hot plate is ideal for college dorm rooms, but it is also perfect for any small area which lacks space for a full stove top. Unlike a larger stove, a hot plate does not generate as much heat, so you can cook during the summer without heating your entire house. Whatever your reason to use a hot plate, here are some tips to for using it to cook. Remember, anything that you can cook on a stove in a pot, you can make on a hot plate. It operates in the same way as an electric stove burner.

Place the pot or pan on top of the hot plate. If your recipe calls for cooking spray, apply it to the cold pan.

Turn the hot plate on high heat to heat the pan.

Add the food while the pan is heating.

Turn the heat down to a medium-high level for cooking.

Stir the food with the cooking utensils as it is cooking to prevent burning.

After the food is cooked, remove from the pan to a serving plate. Turn off the hot plate when finished.

Tips

  • You can cook anything on a hot plate that can be made on a stove top. Try scrambled eggs, stir fry and fried rice.