Cooking In Water - From Boiled Eggs To Rice To Pasta, And More!

Boiling is where food is cooked in water that has been heated to 100 degrees Celsius (or 212 degrees Fahrenheit). Its most common uses are when cooking some types of pasta (like spaghetti), eggs, potatoes and vegetables. Cooking in water also keeps healthy food healthy, as few vitamins are lost during cooking.

Now you might think that heating water and cooking in water is pretty simple. Well, it is but believe it or not there are differing degrees of boiling and these can have a marked affect on your food! And yes, that 'degrees' pun was intended!

There's normal, of course, when the water is bubbling nice and evenly. This is fine for most foods and cooks them gently.

Some foods need what's called a 'rapid' boil. That's when the water is bubbling fast and furiously. I prefer to cook my pasta and potatoes this way as I find it cooks them more thoroughly for the same length of cooking time. I get a rapid bubble by leaving the lid just a little askew on the pan - enough for most of the steam to escape and not cause the water to come out of the pan.

A third type is what you would call 'simmering', and is where the bubbles in the water are small and less frequent. Vegetables are a good choice for this as they retain more of their nutrients.

Here are some more good tips when cooking in water.

Pasta: I used to think that adding some olive oil to the water when cooking pasta stops it from sticking. The truth is, it does no such thing as the oil will just sit on the surface of the water (oil and water don't mix, remember?). What does help, though, is adding a couple of tablespoons of salt to the water while it's heating up. Just make sure you dissolve it completely. It's also important to have enough water in the pan with pasta - it loves a lot of water so make sure there's enough. Also, different types of pasta need different cooking times. Be sure to check the package. Cooking in water is the best way to prepare pasta.

Potatoes: If you want to mash potatoes, boiling them first is a quick and simple way to cook them. Just make sure you cut them into small enough pieces to cook through - but not too small! For the average potato, I cut it into 6 pieces: first cut down the middle lengthways, and then cut each half into thirds. I then cook them for 12 minutes. Note that if you leave potatoes in the water for too long they can become starchy and you won't get that creamy texture when you mash them (see the Mashed Potatoes page for more tips). If you don't want to mash them (i.e. you just want to eat them as is), then cook for 8 minutes.

Corn on the Cob: With corn, cooking in water is one of the easier ways to prepare it. All you need to do is remove the husk from the corn, along with as much of the silk (or threads) as you can from between the kernels. Place the corn cobs into a large saucepan, and fill with water so that the corn is floating freely. Then add some salt if your like, and stir to dissolve it. Place the saucepan over a high heat with the lid on. Once the water is boiling, remove the lid and reduce the heat down to low. Simmer the corn for 10 minutes, giving them a little spin occasionally. When done, I'll simply put the lid back on and place the saucepan to one side (or on the table) until I'm ready to eat the corn. They keep nice and warm this way.

Vegetables: I actually cook vegies in the microwave. However, make sure you have a proper microwave-proof container for them. I have one with a lid that has a small vent to allow steam to escape during cooking - very important! My rule of thumb is to put the vegetables into the container, and then cover them with cold water to a depth of about 1cm or half an inch (so you still are cooking in water). For my 850 watt microwave I'll then cook on high for 3 minutes, and then drain them. This length of time works for most vegetables and gives you enough for 2 people. For larger/smaller quantities, cook for longer/shorter as needs be.

Rice: This food has been a staple in many cultures for thousands of years and is also really easy to prepare. Simply fill a medium saucepan with cold water, add a tablespoon of salt and stir to dissolve it completely. Put over a high heat with the lid on and wait for it to boil. Then add your rice to the boiling water and give it a good stir, and then set a timer for 12 minutes. Put the lid back on until the water starts to rapidly boil again. Remove the lid and stir again, ensuring that there are no bits of rice stuck to the bottom of the pan. Stir occasionally until the 12 minutes are up, and then drain the rice into a metal strainer. Then place the strainer back on top of the saucepan, and place the lid over the strainer, or at least covering the rice if the strainer's too big. This traps steam that keeps some of the rice from drying out. Leave for a couple of minutes until all water has drained out and then serve.

Eggs: Boiling eggs seems to be one of those mysteries of the ages! So many people have different ideas on how long to boil eggs, and here's mine! First of all, you need to pierce one end of the egg, either with a special egg pricker or a sewing needle. This allows pressure to escape so the egg won't crack. Secondly, it's best to use eggs at room temperature rather than straight from the fridge, if possible. Place the eggs(s) into a saucepan of cold tap water and place over a medium heat. Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes for a hard boiled egg, or 3 minutes for a soft boiled egg. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon.

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