Nuclear scrambled eggs

Last month I blogged about an unexpected power outage, and mentioned in passing that I “made myself some scrambled eggs in the microwave”, the relevance of which was that the power went out shortly afterward. It turned out, that small point wasn’t as beside the point as I thought, and I realised it’s a good idea to share my modern magic.

In a comment to that post, Roger Green said:

You make scrambled eggs in a microwave? I have NEVER done that – wouldn't know how to – and I've been making them for at least 5.5 decades.

Today is your lucky day, Roger! (and anyone else who hasn’t done it). This is how I make scrambled eggs in the microwave.

You will need:

• Eggs (eggs in New Zealand are almost always brown)
• Something to shake them up in
• A microwave safe bowl
• A fork (not pictured above)

The important thing to note is that time matters: Too much microwaving and your eggs will be rubbery; too little, and they’ll be partly raw. Stirring is also important.

Take your eggs and crack them into something you can shake them up in (I used an old jam container with a tight-fitting lid). Add some water (not milk), put the lid on tightly, and shake vigorously to mix thoroughly. Pour into a microwave safe bowl and place in the microwave.

The amount of time you’ll need will depend on the power of your microwave, the number of eggs, even if they’re from the fridge or at room temperature. For this example, I’m using a 1000 watt microwave and two refrigerated eggs, and the high power setting. Some people microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each go.

Nuke the egg mixture for about a minute (unless you're using the 30 second burst method), then remove from the microwave and stir with a fork:

The eggs after one minute in the microwave.

Put the stirred mixture back in the microwave. I nuke for about 50 seconds more, though you can adjust this up or down to fit your tastes, etc. (as above). It looks really puffy when you open the microwave door, and then settles down rapidly:

Stir/chop-up the eggs with a fork. If you’re by yourself, eat out of the bowl. If not, or you're particularly civilised, then put on a plate.

Fluffy eggs at the end (left) collapse when you take them out of the microwave (right).

There are two main advantages to making eggs in a microwave. First, it’s fast. My two eggs take less time start to finish than it usually takes to toast bread. Second, it uses no added fat, unlike conventional scrambled eggs made on a stovetop. But, like I said, timing is important to avoid the eggs becoming rubbery, and that will take trial and, yes, error.

The eggs can be doctored: I often add some dried mixed herbs before I nuke the egg mixture, and even some grated cheese (all of which can also be added afterward). Usually, though, I add nothing except some (low sodium) salt and pepper. However, I’d advise against adding raw vegetables (like onion, green onion) because they may not be cooked through. Best to nuke them separately and add them to your egg mixture. Tomato is probably okay to add before nuking, though.

Scrambled eggs aren't the only thing I make in the microwave, but they’re what I make the most often. Easy, fast, no added fat—what more could I ask?

The plated scrambled eggs, with no garnish or anything. I like them firmer, which is why time matters.