Most of us have a great love for fish and consider it as a delicious meal when cooked properly. Fish are flaky, delicate, and require the perfect method to cook it. If not cooked with proper precautions, it may end up filling the entire house with the smell of fish.
Fish can be cooked in a microwave or you can even reheat the leftover fish in it. To microwave fish without smell, you must follow the below-mentioned step by step process:
- Take a microwave-safe dish and place the fish on it.
- Season it with salt and pepper. Adding lemon, garlic, herbs, and other spices can add more flavor to it.
- To keep the fish moist during cooking, add a teaspoon of liquid like water though it will be better if you add white wine, milk, or citrus juice.
- With a microwave-safe lid or a plastic wrap, cover the dish. This will prevent the smell of fish from spreading while microwaving it.
- Run the microwave for 4-5 minutes at a high temperature. If the fish is not opaque at the end of this time, keep microwaving at an interval of 30 seconds until it is completely cooked.
- Once done, allow the fish to get cooled down in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
- Now, take it out but be careful as it will still be hot.
You might have leftover fish from last night which you want to have on the next day. This requires reheating and it can also be done in the microwave.
To microwave fish without smell while reheating, you need to cover the fish with foil or plastic wrap and run the microwave. The cover should be loose.
When the fish is covered in the microwave, it provides secondary protection against smell and does not allow the smell to spread in the kitchen. Also, the edges are prevented from drying before the middle part is warmed.
Why does microwave fish smell?
Microwave fish smell because heating causes the smelly compound present in the fish to become more volatile. Also, a microwave is a closed space which makes the smell even stronger.
It is observed that while cooking or reheating fish in a microwave, it often smells a lot and fills the entire room with that stingy smell.
It may be irritating for some and thus, it is essential to cook it with some precautions so that the smell is not too much which becomes unbearable for us.
It is advised that while microwaving fish, it should be covered loosely with either foil or plastic wrap. This will prevent the spread of smell out of the microwave.
However, you might need to clean the microwave thoroughly to remove the smell after the fish is cooked or reheated in it. The procedure of cleaning the microwave has been mentioned later in this post. You can refer to that and have a clean and smell-free microwave.
Reheating fish in microwave at work
Reheating fish in a microwave at work should be done with proper precautions otherwise the smell spread can be irritating and disturbing for everyone.
Below are some etiquettes to be followed while reheating fish in a microwave at work:
- Do not use the microwave for more than 3 minutes as others might also be waiting to reheat their food.
- While reheating fish in a microwave, it can spread the smell. It is better to microwave fish for only 30 seconds. It is a gamble to put any seafood in a microwave at the workplace. Reheating it for more time can cause a pungent smell in the workplace.
- Cover the fish with a paper towel, plastic wrap, or foil while reheating it in a microwave. It will prevent the spread of fish smell and thus, others can reheat their food comfortably in the microwave after you have done it.
How to cook dried fish without smell?
To cook dried fish without smell in a microwave, you need to put the dried fish on a microwave-safe dish. Spray some oil and spices according to your taste.
Don’t add salt as the dried fish is already salty. Then, cover it loosely with foil or plastic wrap and let it run at high temperature for 2 minutes.
When the dried fish is wrapped, it prevents the odor from spreading. Once the fish is done, leave it inside the microwave for another 2 minutes. Now, take it out, unwrap it, and serve hot.
How to get the fish smell out of the microwave?
To get the fish smell out of the microwave, you need to clean it by following the below mentioned process:
- Take a microwave-safe bowl and fill it half with water.
- Add 1 cup of vinegar to it and put the bowl in the microwave.
- Run the microwave on high for 10 minutes.
- Let it stay inside for another 5 minutes. The steam produced will loosen up the grease and absorb the smell inside the microwave.
- Now, remove the bowl from the microwave and be careful in doing so as it can be really hot.
- Remove the turntable and clean it thoroughly in the sink.
- Take a soft cloth and wipe inside the microwave properly. This method will ensure that the microwave is clean and the smell of fish is wiped off from the appliance.
- But, if the smell persists, you can use another method. In this, soak a sponge in vinegar and add some baking soda to it. Microwave the sponge on high for 30 seconds and then use it to wipe the microwave from inside for a second time.
How long to microwave fish sticks?
It takes about 1 ½ minutes to microwave fish sticks if you are taking 4 fish sticks together. For this, first microwave 4 fish sticks for 1 minute at high temperature, flip them and again cook for 30 seconds.
If there are 8 fish sticks, first microwave for 2 minutes, flip them and again cook for 1 minute. The time mentioned here is for a high-power microwave like 1000 watts and above. But if the microwave has low power of 700 watts or less, microwave fish sticks for an additional 1 minute.
Below are the benefits of cooking fish sticks in microwave:
- It does not need any oil or butter and thus, has a very less fat content.
- Microwave cooks the fish sticks easily and quickly.
- It does not cause any splatter and therefore, does not require an elaborate cleaning procedure.
How to microwave fish in a bag?
The following steps describe the process to microwave fish in a bag:
- Sprinkle salt, dry white wine, butter, crushed red pepper, thyme sprigs, thinly sliced garlic, some olive oil, and other spices depending on your taste of the fish.
- Put the fish in a zip-top bag and seal it. Press it gently so that all the air is pressed out of the bag.
- Place the bag on the microwave-safe plate and run the microwave at high temperature for 3 minutes.
- Check the fish with a fork. If it flakes, it is ready.
- Leave the fish bag in the microwave for some time, say for another 3 minutes to let it cool a little.
- Now, empty the bag onto a plate and serve hot.
Conclusion
Fish is a healthy dish as it is a good source of protein but at the same time, it is damn smelly as well. While cooking, the stench often spreads in the entire kitchen.
The best way to avoid this is to cook in a microwave by covering it with foil or paper wrap. This will ensure that the smell does not escape out and also the edges of the fish are prevented from drying out.