microwave. yes or no?

*noam's unused stove in vancouver.

My non-existent microwave usage had been influenced by M, during lunch in Munich where we all sat on the communal dining room to eat lunch packed from home.  M has become a big brother that I never had and I always cooked some extra for him.  Except that he would not eat it if it has been microwaved and off he launches into a long lecture on why microwaved food is not good for you.

For your sake, it is not necessary to list all the potentially harmful effects of microwave usage as I am sure you have heard enough of it.  Indeed this speedy oven is heaven-sent into homes of busy working moms (unless you are fortunate enough like almost every Malaysian household to have full time domestic help), single men and those who prefer to spend the least possible time on food preparation.  Many cookbooks also offer tips and suggestions using the indispensable microwave to simplify tasks such as melting chocolate.  And have you seen the recently launched portable microwave designed for your car?

Plus it may be even harder to find fault with the microwave if Ferran Adria used it for his incredible creations such as the Parmesan Soufflé served in his 2007 menu.  With him waving his magic cooking wand, the microwave could even be THE oven to own now.  Now I’m beginning to get a wee bit concerned.  If C manages to win a lottery table at El Bulli next year for us, would my non-microwave stand get in the way?  I may put on my ‘ignorance is bliss’ filter for that dinner.

Until the dawn of the day we eventually land the impossible reservation at El Bulli, I simply will stick to the no-microwave policy.  The taste  and texture is altered and simply different plus the food is often too hot.  You can try to reheat half a portion of roast chicken in the zippy microwave and the other half slower in the oven and see if they taste any different.  If it doesn’t, then it just doesn’t for you and that’s absolutely fine.  Meanwhile, I will continue to tell the mamak waiter not to reheat my putu mayam in the microwave for me.