Saturday, January 18, 2014

Four basic ways in which eggs can be prepared

Boiled



For many of us, this is a comfort food that brings back yummy childhood memories. Boiling an egg is one of the healthiest way you can consume it and is the perfect option for those watching their weight. To make the perfect boiled egg, drop the eggs in their shells (preferably at room temperature) into simmering water, and cook for three to 10 minutes on a medium flame. Here's the interesting part. A short cooking time produces a soft boiled egg, with a runny yolk while boiling the eggs for a longer time will give you a nice hard boiled eggs, which can be eaten plain, sliced, mashed and even added to variety of dishes.


Poached



You may have heard the term often and wondered what exactly the hype is all about. Well, to put it simply, a poached egg is one that has been cooked by poaching it in water. Like a boiled egg, this too is an oil free preparation method. To poach an egg, let water simmer in a pan. Crack the egg into a small bowl and then gently slid it into the pan. Cook the egg until the white has solidified but make sure the yolk remains soft. The 'perfect' poached egg has a runny yolk, with a hardening crust.


Scrambled



A scrambled egg with bacon, hash browns, baked beans and toast, now that's what a perfect American breakfast consists of. This preparation of eggs is an all time favourite with kids. For the perfect scrambled egg, all you need to do is whisk up the eggs in a bowl before pouring them into a hot pan. Whisking will make the batter airy resulting in a light and fluffy preparation when done. Once you pour the batter into the pan, allow it to set for a few seconds and them stir through it and scramble it up. You can add a variety of ingredients like fine chopped vegetables, cold meats, shredded chicken or cheese for more texture and flavour. These can either be mixed into the batter or served as a side dish. Alternatively, pour the egg batter into a hot pan, allow it to settle and cook for a while, arrange the ingredients in a neat line at the centre and then fold the edges over. Cover the pan and let this cook for a minute or two on a slow flame. Incidentally, the all time Mumbaiya favourite, the burji — made with eggs, finely chopped onions, tomatoes, chillis and coriander — is the Indian version of the scrambled egg.


Fried

 

 Last but not the least, is  the fried egg. For many of us who are forever racing against time nothing makes for a more filling meal than a couple of fried eggs jammed between slices of bread. Fried eggs are made by cracking the egg into a hot, oiled pan. In fried eggs too, one can either go for the egg well done or for sunny side up. In the former version, the egg is fried well on both sides thus ensuring that both, the white and the yolk are cooked. For the latter, the eggs are left to cook on one side only. Thus, while one side of the egg gets cooked, the top side, especially the yolk remains runny. To get the perfect sunny side up, heat oil in a pan. Crack the eggs into it taking care not to break the yolk. Let it cook for about five minutes or till the whites by the yolk are cooked to your choice. Slide the eggs off carefully into a plate.


Source: Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-02/diet/38217011_1_eggs-healthy-food-yolk