Let’s get back to some useful information, as I promised. You want to make yourself some boiled egg for that tea snack we spoke about and unlike your neighbour, you do not possess an automatic egg boiler contraption. What to do, what to do?
Well, first of all, relax; unless you have to quickly jot down to the store to buy a few eggs. I’ll wait for you…
If your eggs are usually stored in the fridge we will follow the slow heating process as the little buggers really can not stand a suddenly burst of heat contrast. In this case you will add the eggs to the cold water in the pot right from the beginning, so all will heat up at the same speed. Do not drop the eggs in the pot, they will crack and trust me, will not be able to contain themselves while cooking, and this will result in a big mess, and little egg to eat. The slightest hairline crack will make you pay dearly for not being gentle.
However, if the eggs you’re planning on using are at room temperature, you can proceed in getting the water up to boiling point before slowly, yes, same rule applies, putting the eggs one by one into water. This is the point you will actually use a spoon to slowly submerge each one of them, as you will notice your fingers are quite dear to you!
Either way, the water you are about to boil you can get up to boiling point by turning the hotplate to high and if I may suggest, you may add some salt and vinegar to the water. Some people may disagree with me, but I have found this to be a sure-fire way to ensure that the whole lot sets straight away if there were to be a slight hairline fracture in one of the eggs. You will be surprised how vigorous those lot could get during the party in the pot (don’t we all!) The salt and vinegar do not alter the taste of the egg, trust me, but it does ensure you don’t end up with a stringy affair after 6 minutes.
So now you boil the eggs according to your own discretion. A softboiled egg on toast is quite different than a hard boiled egg. They are very convenient to use for the elderly, kids or foods you would incorporate the slightly salty taste of the yolk in your flavours and colours. This is achieved by boiling the egg for about 3.5 minutes to 4 minutes since the water reached boiling point. Medium eggs will be ready in about 5minutes and a hardboiled egg you will have ready after 7-8 minutes. Be careful however, not to overcook them, as they will develop a nasty blue ring on the edge of the yolk (yellow). This does not taste terrible, but sure does not look appetizing. Do not fret, it has a name, ironsulphide. It is merely a chemical reaction between the sulphur and the proteins in the egg, but we will not get into that stuff right now.
After the eggs have boiled for the appropriate time, you will remove them from the heat, either with your spoon or by taking the whole pot to the sink where you would pour off the hot water and replace with cold water until all the heat has subsided. You have to stop the cooking process this way, otherwise the egg will continue to boil, as the white of an egg actually can start cooking already at only 21degrees Centigrade. Think about it, that is the temperature on a very comfortable spring day!
Shelling the eggs are easy, I’m sure you can do that. There are several ways to do it. Some believe that one should roll it around until the shell is quite shattered, and then remove it, but I have found that one solid knock on the side works better for me in order to remove bigger pieces at one time, and not end up with shrapnel.
A little salt and pepper, and you’re well on your way. Enjoy
In South Africa today security plays a vital part in any business or private home. This book and the volumes to follow, will guide you step by step through the essential precautionary measures to be taken in protecting your family and valuables. From employing security guards, evacuation of your site and security measures to burglar bars and alarms in your private home.
a Book compiled by me from experience gained after 10 years in the security industry as Industrial relations officer with Nosa qualifications, 1st Aid, fire protection and also S.O.B. grade A.
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