Boiled Egg

Boiled egg consists of an egg that has been cooked by immersing it in boiling water along with its shell. The egg of a chicken is usually eaten by boiling although duck’s and quail's eggs are also consumed in a similar fashion in some countries. The dish is considered to be an essential part of  English breakfast and has now been adopted by many cultures throughout the world.

The hard boiled egg is the one that solidifies completely while the soft boiled variety is usually consumed in a semi liquefied state. The shells of the egg are peeled and the contents sliced or spread on toast before serving. Special egg cups used for serving the boiled eggs were a part of the English breakfast utensils during the colonial era.

Origin of the Boiled Egg

Ancient Chinese and Egyptian documents reveal that the egg from fowls had been eaten by the humans even in 1400 B.C. The English tradition of domesticating hens and consuming their eggs goes back almost 600 years ago. Old pagan rituals in the pre-Christian era included making an offering consisting of boiled eggs to the goddess of fertility, Eostre. Baytzah, is a hardboiled egg that is traditionally eaten during the Jewish festival of Passover. And symbolizes the ransacking of the Temple by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E.

Boiled Egg Recipe: Ingredients and Preparation Overview

The egg and water are the only ingredients required to boil an egg. It is one of the most simplest recipes in the world which involves placing the raw egg along with its shell in a pan full of water and boiling it. The timing differs according to the consistency preferred with 17 minutes considered to be just right for obtaining a perfect hardboiled egg. Soft boiled eggs can be obtained by boiling it for just a couple of minutes on medium flame.

Peeling or removing the shell from a boiled egg is an essential part of the process. Hard boiled eggs can be peeled cleanly if the eggs had been a day or two old. Fresh laid eggs are quite difficult to peel and the shell may not come out neatly on account of its high moisture and carbon dioxide content. Peeling the eggs under running water is a good way to ensure complete removal of the shell.

The shell of a soft boiled egg is usually cracked with a spoon and the contents scooped out before serving.

Boiled Egg Recipe: Serving Suggestions

• Hardboiled Egg- It is usually served in an egg cup, it is eaten with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
• Soft-boiled eggs- It is scooped out and eaten on toast as a breakfast food. Also known as half boiled eggs in the Far East and South Asia, it is seasoned with chili and soy sauce before consumption.
• Soldiers- a traditional English way of eating soft boiled eggs is to crack the egg shell and dip small pieces of buttered toast known as soldiers into it.
• Kaya & Eggs- The people of Singapore and Malaysia prefer to eat the spicy seasoned boiled eggs with toast spread with coconut jam known as kaya.
• Egg Salad- Sliced boiled eggs are served with an assortment of salad vegetables seasoned with salt and pepper.
• Egg Pizza- Sliced hard boiled eggs are added to the pizza topping as a variation.
• Sandwich- Hardboiled egg filled sandwiches are popular snack items.

Boiled Egg Recipe Variations

• Eggs Florentine-A dish made with onions and spinach along with quartered hard boiled eggs.
• Egg Curry- an Indian dish of peeled hardboiled eggs which are fried and cooked with curry powder and spices.
• Pickled Eggs-A German dish of preserved boiled eggs in brine and cider vinegar.
• Danish Eggs- A dish consisting of hardboiled eggs sliced lengthwise with a white, creamy sauce poured over it.
• Devilled Eggs-A dish where the boiled yolk is mixed with mustard and mayonnaise and returned to the sliced egg cavity. It is usually served cold.

Boiled Egg: Nutritive Value

• The boiled form of eggs are a rich source of lutein and zeaxanthins which help in improving eyesight and can slow the macular degeneration of retina associated with old age.
• Boiled eggs are recommended for patients who require high protein content food.
• The choline present in eggs are beneficial for brain and neurological health.
• Boiled eggs do not contain very less amount of saturated fats which is beneficial for health.
• The high sulfur content of boiled eggs help in adding luster to skin and hair.
• Recent research studies have revealed that consumption of boiled eggs can help to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Trivia

A coddled egg is a variation of the boiled egg which is cooked in water that is heated to just below the boiling point.