I always figured microwave ovens were simply for defrosting and heating food, or occasionally nuking rice but of late I've discovered they can do a lot more.
The discoveries are the result of my acute laziness and lifelong habit of searching for shortcuts. But now there is another reason. I live in a country where the government is so corrupt and inept that they've brought the national (and only) power utility to its knees. This means regular, rolling-blackouts and electricity costs almost doubling over the past few years. Consequently, whacking a roast in the oven, is an exercise in high-risk and, being able to afford to cook it, a miracle!
I like eggs. I like 'em fried or poached but, most of the time, firing up the gas cooker, boiling water or using a frying pan and having to clean up afterwards, is simply too much PT. Like they say, 'the juice is not worth the squeeze!'
Mostly I scramble them in the microwave but, though edible, they're rubbery and unappetizing. So, when I came across an article by Cat Bowen on how to poach eggs in a microwave, with seemingly little fuss, I was keen to give it a bash.
The discoveries are the result of my acute laziness and lifelong habit of searching for shortcuts. But now there is another reason. I live in a country where the government is so corrupt and inept that they've brought the national (and only) power utility to its knees. This means regular, rolling-blackouts and electricity costs almost doubling over the past few years. Consequently, whacking a roast in the oven, is an exercise in high-risk and, being able to afford to cook it, a miracle!
I like eggs. I like 'em fried or poached but, most of the time, firing up the gas cooker, boiling water or using a frying pan and having to clean up afterwards, is simply too much PT. Like they say, 'the juice is not worth the squeeze!'
Mostly I scramble them in the microwave but, though edible, they're rubbery and unappetizing. So, when I came across an article by Cat Bowen on how to poach eggs in a microwave, with seemingly little fuss, I was keen to give it a bash.
The process is simple:
- Fill to three quarters, a microwave-proof, cereal dish, with water as hot as you can get it from the tap. Add a teaspoon of salt and a half a teaspoon of vinegar.
- Carefully break the egg into the water and nuke it for around 3 - 3 1/2 minutes. The cooking time will depend upon the initial temperature of the water, the size of the egg and the power of your microwave.
- When perfectly cooked remove the egg with a slotted spoon. It should be white and jiggly and the yoke will (hopefully) be oozey and runny.
- Eat it immediately! I screwed up here. The egg was perfect when I removed it from the water but only then did I start making the toast and preparing the plate. As a result, it continued to cook so when I finally cut it, the yoke was not as gooey as desired.
Oh well, you live and learn.
I poached three eggs before I got it right. Cooking times were erratic because of the variations in egg sizes and possibly the temperature of the tap water. I think a more consistent way to eliminate one of the variables may be to add the egg to already-boiling water. This would mean the water temperature is always consistent and result in reduced, constant cooking times.
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