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David Chang
5 Tips for Improvising With Your Microwave
Anyone who has seen chef David Chang's home cooking videos on Instagram knows that he is a master of improvisation. He heads to his fridge and pantry — typically sans recipe — assesses the ingredients he has to work with, and creates a mind-blowing meal out of whatever he's got on hand (often using his Anyday dishes in the process). In fact, Dave is so good at cooking on the fly that he wrote an entire cookbook about it, along with Priya Krishna, called Cooking at Home: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Recipes (And Love My Microwave).
While winging it might sound like an intimidating strategy that only a chef could pull off (especially while using the microwave), we're here to tell you that it's quite possible with the right mindset. If you're comfortable with improvising on the stovetop, on the grill, or in the oven, there's no reason you can't experiment in the microwave too.
We caught up with Dave to get his best tips on where to start improvising with your Anyday dishes. Here's his advice:
1. Stop following recipes.
“The best thing a home cook can do to learn to improvise is to stop relying on recipes,” Dave told us. "Think about it like following directions without GPS. It’s that kind of skill. Because of convenience, we’ve lost these innate skills that are encoded in our DNA. If you don’t have Autocorrect, your spelling will get better. If you don't follow a recipe, you'll be a better cook."
In Dave's opinion, recipes can serve as crutches much of the time:" Recipes are just marketing nonsense that say ‘nobody can cook unless you do it this exact way.’ Don't let a specific recipe be a roadblock to making something delicious."
2. Don't be so rigid about your ingredients.
Once you commit to improvising, the next step is determining what ingredients you have to work with. Say you don't have something that you think is critical to whatever dish you want to make. Here's what Dave has to say: "Are you going to panic? No. Look at what you do have, not what you don't and think of these limitations as a strength, not as a weakness. Even if you gave everyone the same exact ingredients, the final results would still taste different, right?"
For Dave, cooking with constraints is almost like solving a puzzle. "It’s a rewarding challenge to make something delicious out of nothing. Look at what’s around you. Mise en place. If you don’t have 1 ingredient, you might have 3, 4, or 5 others you need to recreate it."
3. Cook with a margin of error.
When improvising in the microwave, avoid being exacting in nature. "In a professional kitchen, that kind of exacting nature is good. It’s necessary in baking and pastry, but not in a lot of other kinds of cooking," says Dave. "Every microwave is different, every ingredient is different — to standardize everything is going to be the reason you're going to f*ck up." So, when approaching a dish, be flexible with ingredients amounts and cook times. "Expect that you're going to have to make adjustments," says Dave, and adjust accordingly.
4. Use critical thinking.
If you're not confident in determining your own cooking times, Dave has a few thoughts: "Say you're cooking frozen salmon in the microwave. (Fish is an ingredient that scares people, especially frozen.) I throw the frozen filets in the Anyday, put it straight in the microwave, and the whole thing is done in around 4 minutes. But say you take it out and find that it’s still raw. Put it back in. If it’s rubbery, cook it less next time. Use your senses: Is it done? Does it taste good? Does it need another element?"
"Think of it this way: You can always add more time, but you can’t take time away," Anyday founder, Steph Chen, adds. "People don't have a problem with estimating doneness on the stove. But the microwave is a different story."
(If you're not sure about cook times for single ingredients, check out our one-ingredient recipe guides as a starting point.)
5. Feel empowered to f*ck up.
As time goes on, the more you understand your microwave, the more you will understand how to cook with it. To get to this point, you have to navigate the unknown, make changes and ingredient swaps, and feel confident that you're equipped to do things your own way. "To develop your cooking instincts, you’re going to make mistakes. In your Anyday, you need to learn how to make them. We're basically encouraging people to f*ck up," says Dave. "Why do I need to do things the traditional way? Just because a certain dish has a more conventional cooking method doesn't mean that's the best way to do it."
Want to watch Dave's tips in action? Watch the video below to see him take chicken thighs in two completely different directions on the fly.
For all of your Anyday improvisational needs, we're here to help. E-mail us at hi@cookanyday.com or DM us on Instagram for more tips on how to experiment with your Anyday dishes.
Make Dave Chang's Recipes in the Microwave
Easy Salmon Rice
The best easy dinners are chameleons, endlessly customizable (and colorful too!). Salmon atop flavorful dashi rice is a great go-to combination on a busy weeknight. Replace the salmon with any fish, try bok choy instead of spinach, or even switch the protein entirely with diced chicken.
All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.
David Chang's Chawanmushi
The umami essence of this savory Japanese egg custard comes from dashi, a stock made from dried kelp (kombu). Compared to our Silky Chinese Steamed Egg Custard, this version uses a higher liquid to egg ratio for an even silkier custard. Chef's hats off to Peter Serpico, former Momofuku chef, for crafting the perfect proportion of dashi to egg: 7 eggs per 1 quart of liquid!
All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.
David Chang's Shrimp and Polenta
This whole meal comes together in the time it takes to cook just polenta on the stove. Dave's take on this Lowcountry classic uses dashi (an umami-packed broth made from bonito, a dried fish) to flavor the polenta. Topped with smoky shrimp and bacon and perfectly poached eggs, it's a hearty entree that's sure to win over microwave skeptics.
All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.
David Chang’s Seafood Medley
This delicious stew boasts a lineup of ingredients that are outstanding in their own right, and when brought together, they create an unforgettable dish. Tomatoes, sausage, bacon, and carefully selected seasonings harmonize to create a flavorful broth in which couscous thrives. Meanwhile, the seafood is masterfully steamed to perfection within this aromatic medley of ingredients, resulting in a delicious and gratifying meal.
All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.
David Chang's Steamed Ginger-Scallion Fish
This classic Cantonese dish proves that less is often more. Dave's version does away with steamers and water baths for a simple preparation that brings out the fish's delicate natural flavor. Finish it with a hit of hot peanut oil, which lightly fries and brings out the fragrance of the ginger and scallions.
All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.
David Chang's Fish Over Riced Cauliflower
This recipe is the antidote to the despair of going to cook dinner and realizing you forgot to defrost it. Frozen fish fillets become fork-tender in a matter of minutes. The cauliflower rice will win over even the most skeptical rice lovers, as David's son can attest! Bonus: it's an extra serving of vegetables without tasting too healthy.
All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.
David Chang’s Miso Butter Corn
Miso is the key to this simple sweet-and-salty side dish! Combined with butter, miso becomes an ultra-rich and savory sauce that makes any (fresh or frozen) vegetable shine. We like to make a big batch and store leftovers in the Anytime Freezer Trays. Simply pop out a portion and stir into soups, stir-fries, or a bowl of hot ramen noodles.
All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.
David Chang’s Potato Leek Soup
If there’s a slight chill in the air, this comforting soup is all we crave. Dave’s secret to speeding up this classic dish? The microwave! He practically invented cooking potatoes in the microwave, eliminating the need to boil them on the stovetop. We might not ever cook potatoes any other way.
Make sure to rinse your leeks well! This allium tends to carry lots of dirt deep inside of its leaves. Soak chopped leeks in some ice water for a few minutes before cooking.
All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.
David Chang's Speedy White Rice
Chef Dave Chang’s shortcut recipe for speedy white rice could not be easier! If you’re looking for the absolute fastest way to make rice, this recipe is for you. For a slightly longer yet hands-off method, take a look at our standard method for cooking white rice.
Note: This fail-proof recipe cooks 1 cup of rice in an Anyday Large Deep Dish; do not cook more rice than the quantity listed below. For larger quantities of rice, please refer to our standard method.
All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.
David Chang’s Butter-Poached Lobster
Steam lobster in the microwave just like David Chang does for fine-dining quality results. Adjust the power level and you get tender, sweet lobster that's perfect for salads or upgrading your mac and cheese. Make a fancy meal with zero fuss, all using your microwave.
All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.
David Chang’s Savory Mushrooms
Mushrooms in the microwave? Dave knows what’s up! Cooking them in savory soy and miso brings out the richness of fresh mushrooms. Thanks to Anyday’s steam-releasing lid, these mushrooms steam in their own juices. Leave the lid on after cooking to trap all of the flavors inside the dish.
All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.
David Chang’s Easy Kimchi Jjigae
Kimchi stew (known in Korean as kimchi jjigae) holds a special place in our hearts, especially during the colder months. As the temperature starts to dip, there's nothing quite as comforting as this vibrant, flavorful soup. With the help of the microwave, you can savor a comforting meal in minutes.
All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.
David Chang’s Succotash
Dave knows how to jazz up frozen veggies, and this simple succotash is no exception! Paired with savory bacon (also cooked in the microwave) and fresh onion, you’ll never be able to tell that this simple side came from the freezer — or cooked in the microwave.
Anyday dishes are built for cooking from scratch in the microwave, freeing up time.
