Boiling Eggs

When I was four, our family traveled to Ontario to visit the Raos, who were close family friends. Just before dusk the first night, I managed to get lost in their subdivision. A neighbor heard me whimpering to her cat who was lounging in the driveway. I had thick black hair and a bangle encircling each wrist. She guessed that I was related to the Raos who were the only Indians on the block. To confirm her suspicion, she asked me what I liked to eat. Instead of  saying "curry," I responded with "Cookies and eggs." Thankfully, she called the Raos anyway.

I still get weak in the knees when I eat eggs, and am especially fond of  Eggs in Coconut Milk and Egg Roast. On the rare occasion when my fridge is near empty, I boil one up until its yolk is velvety and its white has a cushy softness. I sprinkle it with salt and pepper for breakfast in a flash.

It’s easy to overcook eggs. To avoid producing boiled eggs with rubbery whites and yellow-green yolks, follow these simple steps:

How to Boil Eggs 

Fresh eggs are often harder to peel than eggs that have been around for a week or so. So boil older eggs whenever possible. 

Place eggs in a saucepan in a single layer. Cover with an inch or so of cold water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Cover with a lid and let the eggs sit in the water for five minutes to make soft boiled eggs and 15 minutes for hard boiled eggs. 

How to Peel Boiled Eggs

Drain the water. Allow the eggs to cool for one minute until they are easy to hold. 

For soft boiled eggs: Carefully tap the top of the egg on a hard surface to crack the shell. Peel off the top third of the shell. Use a spoon to scoop out the cooked egg.

For hard boiled eggs: Crack the egg shells by gently rolling each egg against a hard surface with the palm of your hand. You can also cover the saucepan with a lid and slide it across your kitchen counter to crack the shells of the eggs inside. Hold each egg under cold water and peel off the shell, beginning at the wide end, which gives most easily.