The microwave oven's image as a convenient kitchen appliance made for "nuking" leftovers is quickly becoming a thing of the past. With more than 90% of households in the United States owning a microwave, this versatile little machine is now gaining a reputation as an environmentally friendly way to actually cook food.
David Chang, a renowned chef and owner of the well-known Momofuku restaurant chain, demonstrates the microwave's culinary capabilities in a recent TikTok post.
In the video, which has garnered more than 67,000 likes, Chang can be seen seasoning a piece of salmon before putting it into his microwave oven to cook. The salmon comes out looking juicy, flaky, and tender.
@davidchang delicious way of cooking…especially when you are pressed for time. 5 min for medium well. 3.5 min for medium rare. Let your fish rest….microwave is just a futuristic steamer #chefmike #microwave ♬ original sound - Dave Chang
"Dinner is ready. Serve this with some rice. My kids were happy. I was happy," explains Chang.
Chang is quick to point out that one of the big benefits of cooking with a microwave oven is that it will save you a lot of time. For the salmon, it took a quick five minutes, and there is no need to preheat anything.
As a recipient of two Michelin stars, Chang does a good job busting the kitchen myth that you can only cook good food with a gas stove. "If you think about the science and the technique of it all, it's an extremely effective, efficient way of cooking," he says. "It's a very delicious piece of fish."
Of course, microwave cooking does have some limitations. You cannot use it for deep frying or browning. It also is not so efficient at cooking large pieces of food, but when cooking small portions, it does the job well, and it's economical.
In calculating the cost difference between running a microwave oven, gas oven, and electric oven, a microwave oven is the most energy efficient of the three. And for many families worried about toxic pollutants released when cooking with gas, a microwave oven is a good alternative.
The comments on Chang's post were very positive.
"I tried this last night. I didn't have the same seasoning as I've been out for a bit but maaaaan! Thanks for sharing," says one TikToker.
Another poster writes, "As someone who is always disappointed with how my salmon turns out I am totally trying this. I love steamed fish."
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