How to boil an egg perfectly

"I can't even boil an egg" is a line that is often used by people who don't know how to cook. Rightly so, the mark of a good cook is knowing how to make the perfect eggs.

Every foodie worth his or her salt loves eggs in the morning -- sunnyside up, scrambled, boiled, fried, or the delectable eggs Benedict. This breakfast favourite gives you a boost of protein in the morning. They are not only a quick fix to your hunger but also an extremely affordable and versatile food item.

While there are a hundred ways in which you can prepare eggs, boiling is among the most common cooking technique. Sans all the butter, cheese, spices and cream, boiled eggs are also quite good for your health, especially if you want to lose weight. It has about 78 calories, 5 gm fat, 187 mg cholesterol, 1 gm carbs, and 6 gm protein. In numerous ways, these micronutrients are beneficial to the body.

Boiled eggs for breakfast can also (controversially) provide heart health benefits, reduce bad cholesterol, boost nerve health, help lose weight, improve vision, prevent skin ageing, help in building muscle and strengthen the immune system.

You can easily receive all of these nutritional benefits and some more by eating a boiled egg every day. As easy as it may seem, boiling an egg perfectly can be a daunting task. Sometimes even well-practised cooks make mistakes by either over-boiling eggs or under-boiling them. Both result in different textures of yolk which is the central attraction for an egg.

An overboiled egg can destroy the taste and texture and underboiling it can create quite a mess. If you are new to cooking, here's how you can boil an egg perfectly.

It could be a matter of daily duty for many of us to make boiled eggs for breakfast or lunch. But at the same time, it can be a formidable task to get the yolk just right. There are some ways to make sure to cook that egg to perfection. Here is how to do it:

1. Place your eggs in a saucepan, pour water to cover the eggs and place the pan on the stove.

2. Add salt or vinegar to the water. This step is optional.

3. Turn on the stove and cook the eggs on medium heat.

4. When the water comes to a rolling boil, turn off the heat and cover the eggs with a lid. The eggs will continue to cook in the residual heat of the water. Do not lift this lid till the eggs are cooked.

• For soft-boiled, runny egg, let the egg rest for 2 mins
• For a firm, creamy yolk, rest the egg for 8 mins
• For hard-boiled, let the egg rest for 15 minutes

Here's a detailed guide:

6. Run the eggs under cold water or immerse them in ice-cold water for 5-10 minutes.

7. Remove the shell and consume immediately.

These cooked eggs can be consumed in any way you like. Add a shake of salt and pepper, slice them up and put them on a buttered piece of toast. Boiled eggs can also be added to a masala gravy for egg curry. You can also chop up the eggs, and add some mayonnaise, salt and pepper for a quick egg salad.