As the question states.  Have these been cooked in any way or just dry cured with salt etc?  If I want to make my own dried anchovies, how do I do it? 
Bear in mind that I'm using an electric kettle, rather than a stove-top one.  First, the advantage of a kettle is that it is quite efficient, and turns itself off once the water is boiling. This as opposed to the microwave, which only stops after a set time, rather than relying on the condition of the water.   Second, a microwave can cause water to superheat, particularly in a ceramic or glass container. This means that there is a certain risk that the water will "jump out" at you once you add something to it or put a spoon in.  Additionally, most kettles have more power than the average microwave, so the kettle is probably faster to boil water. 