I have been drying herbs in the microwave for a few years now and read through this blog and comments today to refresh my mind before drying some cilantro. I had never had a problem with the herbs overheating until today. Earlier in the day I rinsed cilantro, laid it out with space between each sprig, on paper towel and allowed it to dry naturally. I placed the first small batch, spaced our generously on paper towel, on a plate in the microwave and microwaved it on high for 30 seconds, then checked it, then another 30 seconds. I did three batches this way, each time, tossing the crispy but still green cilantro on a plate, and each time using the same paper towel. I didn't have a fire, but I was startled to see the paper towel had two tiny burn holes in it! So, I recommend using cloth, rather than paper. Or maybe parchment paper?

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