Content

• Resources
• Steps
• What you need

If you need a quick and healthy method of making asparagus, use the microwave. There are many ways to microwave asparagus. Here are specific instructions for each:

Resources

Crispy Grilled Asparagus

4 servings

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
• 450 g of fresh or thawed asparagus
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt (optional)

Soft Grilled Asparagus

4 servings

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) water, orange juice or white wine
• 450 g of fresh or thawed asparagus
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt (optional)

Garlic butter sauce (Optional)

To make 1/4 cup (60 ml) sauce

• 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) minced fresh garlic

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Before You Begin: Prepare Asparagus

1. 

   
   
   Choose asparagus. If you are using fresh asparagus instead of frozen asparagus, choose a strong, green asparagus. The ends of the asparagus should also be bunched together.
   • Asparagus stems can be thick or thin. Thick asparagus stalks take longer to cook, but their taste and nutritional value are similar to those of thin asparagus. Note, however, that no matter what type you choose, the asparagus stems should be the same.

2. 

   
   
   Wash asparagus with cold water. Rinse asparagus with cold water and gently rub the tops to remove dirt and sand.
   • Asparagus is grown in sandy soils and is usually covered with soil at the tops. Therefore, careful washing is very important.
   • Use a paper towel to dry the water on the asparagus after washing it.

3. 

   
   
   Remove the base of asparagus. Use your hand to break or use a knife to cut 1/3 of the bamboo shoot from the base upwards.
   • Usually, you will have to cut about 2.5 to 4 cm.
   • The base of the asparagus usually smells like wood and doesn't taste good.
   • You can estimate where to bend by gently flexing the asparagus near the base a few times. It is easiest to start with the soft stem and you can remove the stump with your hand.

4. 

   Peel off the knobs at the base of the shoot. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the coarse outer knob of the bamboo shoots.
   • This step is not necessary, but it will make the shoots look cleaner. If the stalk of asparagus is thick, it is better to remove the knob.
   • You are just about to cut the nipple from the base to about 5 cm.
   advertisement

Method 2 of 4: Crispy Grilled Asparagus

1. 

   Soak 4 sheets of paper towels in water. Spray or pour 60 ml of water onto a paper towel. If the water is too much, wring it out.
   • Paper towels must be damp, not soaked.

2. 

   Spread the tissue into a strip. Stack damp paper towels on the counter so that the edge of one sheet overlaps the edge of the next sheet of paper to form a continuous strip of paper towels.
   • Roll paper towels are ideal as they will stick together. If you use a napkin or a separate tissue, the towels should be about 2.5 cm above each other. Otherwise, in the next step, you will have difficulty scrolling.

3. 

   Put the asparagus on a paper towel. Stack the asparagus tightly together and evenly on one end of the tissue strip. If you like, you can sprinkle salt.
   • Asparagus should be parallel to the width of the strip. Try to arrange the bamboo shoot in the center, parallel to the width of the strip. Do not let the ends of the bamboo shoot stick out from the edge of the paper.

4. 

   Roll the asparagus into a bunch. Carefully wrap the tissue around the asparagus to form a bundle. Continue rolling until the strip ends.
   • When the roll is finished, the asparagus bundle should be tight and the stalk should fit neatly inside the tissue.
   • If there is extra space at the ends of the roll, fold them to close the ends. If not, don't worry.

5. 

   Microwave the asparagus for 3-4 minutes. Bake asparagus wrapped tightly in the microwave in Full Power mode until the stalks are slightly soft and crispy.
   • Microwave the asparagus bundle with the exposed paper face down. This will prevent the roll from coming out while the asparagus is baking.
   • The process is essentially steaming the asparagus in the oven. The damp paper towels will heat up, the hot steam seeps into the shoots. By steaming, you will keep the crispness and nutrients in asparagus.

6. 

   Carefully remove the tissue and enjoy. Roll the bundle of shoots in the opposite direction and remove the tissue with tongs. Enjoy while asparagus is still hot.
   • Be careful when removing paper towels. A lot of steam rises up when removing the towel. Using tongs can protect hands from burns. Also, turn backwards to avoid the steam burning your face.
   • If you want, add a little butter or garlic butter to the asparagus before serving.
   advertisement

Method 3 of 4: Soft Grilled Asparagus

1. 

   Place the asparagus on a microwave dish. Put asparagus on a plate used for microwaves. If possible, arrange the tops of the shoots toward the center of the plate.
   • The shoot is softer than the stem, so it will ripen faster. Therefore, if the grill is overcooked, the tops of the bamboo shoots will be easily stained.
   • Since less heat is received in the middle of the microwave, placing the bamboo shoots in the center of the plate will prevent them from overcooking too quickly.
   • Note, however, that if you are using a rectangular disc and cannot follow the instructions above, you can evenly align the asparagus. Asparagus should still be ripe without problems.

2. 

   Fill a plate with water, orange juice or white wine. Put only about 60 ml into the dish. If you want, sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
   • If you want the asparagus to have a traditional taste or you want to season the bamboo shoots, add the bamboo shoots to the sauce after baking, use filtered water.
   • If you want to add a unique flavor to asparagus, use orange juice or white wine.

3. 

   Microwave for 4-7 minutes. Cover and bake the oven in Full Power mode until the shoots are soft.
   • Use the lid if the dish has a microwave-usable lid provided. Note that it is advisable to open the air vents on the lid before placing or deflecting the lid to avoid excessive vapor and pressure build-up inside.
   • If you bake chopped asparagus or bamboo shoots instead of whole, you should only cook for 3-5 minutes on Full Power mode.
   • Half the time cook, stir the asparagus to cook evenly.

4. 

   Enjoy while still hot. Before serving, let the bamboo shoots cool, then place the cooked bamboo shoots on a plate.
   • Be careful when opening the disc cover. Steam can build up a lot during cooking and can cause burns if your hands or face are too close.
   • Add a little butter or garlic butter to the asparagus before serving. Stir gently so that the asparagus is evenly covered with butter.
   advertisement

Method 4 of 4: Optional Sauce: Garlic Butter

1. 

   Mix butter with garlic. Use a fork to mix the softened butter and leave at room temperature with the pureed garlic.
   • Butter must be softened. Cold butter will not mix well with garlic.
   • To soften the butter, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes. If there is not enough time, microwave the whole butter with the wrapping paper for 10 seconds. Do not wrap butter in foil to soften in a microwave.
   • If you do not have fresh garlic or do not want to add the raw crushed garlic to your asparagus, you can use 1/8 teaspoon (0.6 ml) of garlic powder.

2. 

   Add a little garlic butter to the asparagus before serving. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon (15 ml) of garlic butter over hot asparagus, stirring gently to melt the butter and the stalks covered with butter.
   • If you want the asparagus to soak up the butter garlic flavor when you cook, you can use the above soft baking method and add 1 teaspoon (15 ml) of garlic butter and salt before placing the lid and baking.
   • The remainder of the butter can be stored and frozen in a sealed container for 3 days.
   advertisement

What you need

Processing Asparagus

• Dry paper towels
• Vegetable peelers
• 4 sheets of paper towels or the dish is used in the microwave
• Tools for grabbing

Garlic Butter Sauce

• Small bowl
• Plate
• Airtight container