I don’t doubt that the mere suggestion of microwaving fish is sufficient to make the hairs on the again of the web’s collective neck get up in culinary protest.
Initially: This recipe doesn’t stink up the microwave. The fish is wrapped in microwave-safe plastic wrap. (Use a high-sided plate so the wrap doesn’t straight contact the meals.) Second of all, microwaves are spectacularly good at steaming. Not like in a traditional steamer, which will increase the air temperature surrounding the meals, pushing the warmth from exterior in a microwaves generates warmth inside out by means of vibrations of the water molecules inside the ingredient. Due to this inside agitation, elements cooked in a microwave—together with a pleasant contemporary piece of fish—are inclined to cook dinner extra evenly, extra rapidly, and extra cleanly.
Attaining a uniformly and completely steamed fish is especially necessary for Cantonese steamed fish, the dish I might nominate as maybe most emblematic of Hong Kong. The dish is the epitome of the Cantonese precept of cing taam (清淡), or delicacy, which celebrates balanced, delicate flavors. Particularly with fish, the purpose is to coax out the pure flavors of the reduce, which implies higher restraint with the elements: Ginger is added to mood any hints of gaminess, scallions to echo the sweetness, and soy sauce to raise its savoriness. Sizzling oil is splashed excessive to activate these aromatics at excessive warmth proper earlier than the dish hits the desk.
This recipe can apply to any white flaky fish, although the cooking time will fluctuate primarily based on the thickness of the fillet. So I counsel beginning at about 5 minutes and including increments of 1 minute till the fish begins to flake. As at all times, the brisker the fish, the higher the result, however the 15-minute dry treatment right here will assist tighten the flesh of the fish, particularly if the fillet had beforehand been frozen. In case you’re unfamiliar with curing fish, this may increasingly initially appear to be a variety of salt, however know that extra salt might be washed off completely earlier than cooking.
