Cooking either in boiling water, or by heating the food until boiling
2
votes
2answers
521 views
Bitter watercress
I have a recipe for spring rolls which call for (essentially) half watercress and half ground pork.
I boil the watercress first, then chop it and fry it with carrot, tofu, and seasonings. Then I add ...
9
votes
3answers
4k views
When cooking pasta in salted water how much of the salt is absorbed?
Most chefs recommend that you should add quite a bit of salt to boiling water which you cook pasta in (sometimes 1 teaspoon).
For those watching their sodium intake, how much of this salt will ...
18
votes
10answers
5k views
Can I boil eggs in the same pot I'm boling something else?
I know cooking the eggs kills the salmonella and that the risk is small even for raw eggs. However, I stopped boiling the eggs in the same pot I'm boiling something else, like potatoes, when I learnt ...
11
votes
7answers
10k views
Stopping water from bubbling over when cooking rice
Every time I cook brown rice (in a traditional pot, or in my new rice cooker), large bubbles form and spill over the sides. How can I prevent this?
I found this question, but wasn't able to draw ...
1
vote
0answers
219 views
Making pasta: is oil justified? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Does oil in the boiling water prevent the spaghetti from sticking together?
Since time immortal I have added a couple tablespoons of oil to the water when cooking pasta. ...
20
votes
5answers
12k views
When boiling water, why start from cold?
A question about probably the most mundane subject in cooking: boiling water.
For cooking techniques where you drop ingredients in simmering or boiling water - such as for vegetables, pasta, many ...
15
votes
6answers
4k views
(How) can I prevent pasta water from boiling over with the lid closed?
I always cook pasta with the lid of the pot open, because otherwise foam starts to build up and eventually boils over, maikng a huge mess. I would prefer to keep the lid on for energy saving purposes. ...
17
votes
2answers
3k views
What causes water to boil over?
What are the mechanics of water boiling over? How can you stop it from happening? Is it more likely to happen with certain ingredients? Which? How does the amount of water effect the likelihood of ...
18
votes
7answers
6k views
Does adding salt help water boil faster?
I've always heard adding salt to water makes it boil faster. Is this true? If so, why? If not, why do people do it?
32
votes
5answers
5k views
Why wait for water to boil?
I've always heard that you should wait for water to boil before adding pasta/perogies/vegetables/etc. What is the reason for this? Is it because it reaches boiling point faster? If so, why?
7
votes
2answers
204 views
Smell Something Burning. Course of action?
What do I do when I smell something burning in my pot of mutton in gravy? Stirring is the best way to prevent this but what if some charring has already taken place? Wouldn't it be better not to stir ...
12
votes
3answers
6k views
Why add salt to the water when cooking rice?
Given the great answer to the question on adding salt to water when cooking pasta, I am curious whether the same explanation holds for rice as it does for pasta (flavor and starch gelation)? Is there ...
15
votes
4answers
6k views
When boiling potatoes, should I put them in with the cold water or in to the hot?
I've heard both. What's the correct way to boil a potato? Why?
19
votes
2answers
545 views
Does water that's been left to sit and then reboiled taste different from fresh water boiled once?
This may sound like a silly question, but I've always wondered:
If I boil some water and use some of it and leave the remainder in the kettle, and then a few days later boil that same water again, ...
10
votes
5answers
3k views
Can I boil milk unattended (and still keep the pan clean)?
Many recipes call for first bringing milk up to boil.
I normally boil 1 quart (1 litre) of milk in a 3-quart stainless steel heavy bottomed pan:
use low heat
keep scraping the bottom of the pan ...
12
votes
10answers
15k views
How To Tell When Corn is Done With Boiling
When boiling corn, how can I tell when it's done?
I usually remove the husk and silk. Would there be any advantage to leaving them on when boiling?
3
votes
4answers
3k views
Does it make sense to parboil spare ribs before you roast or grill them?
I was thinking about doing it as a time saving device - any recommendations?
7
votes
3answers
361 views
How to measure egg boiling time?
Which factors influence the moment of soft-into-hard egg during the boiling?
size of the egg
putting egg to cold/hot water
colour of the egg
atmospheric pressure (water boiling temperature)
How to ...
10
votes
4answers
3k views
Why would you Parboil Some Vegetables Before Stir-Frying them?
An example would be green beans - some recipes call for parboiling green beans before stir-frying while others do not? Is there a reason behind this?
24
votes
7answers
7k views
Can I boil pasta in a pasta sauce?
Is it ok to boil pasta in pan with a pasta sauce?
Is there any reason to boil pasta separately (and then add the sauce)?
25
votes
7answers
9k views
When you cook spaghetti, do you add olive oil to the boiling water?
Many people (at least in Germany) think that Italians add olive oil to the boiling water for spaghetti. However, Italians tend to tell the opposite (from my experience).
So, can you please state ...
26
votes
5answers
3k views
Pasta: Simmering Water or Rolling Boil?
I recently got into a surprisingly heated argument with a friend about what level of boil you should cook your pasta at. He (an engineer) argued that the heat transfer would remain the same regardless ...
8
votes
2answers
620 views
How can I rescue a soft boiled egg that is too soft?
I love a boiled egg, but it has to be soft. On occasion I get it just too soft, so some of the white is still 'snotty'. Oviously I only discover this once I have opened the egg, when it is too late ...
2
votes
2answers
400 views
Will adding lemon juice to non-wheat pastas make them starchier?
I read in this question: http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/2574/why-add-salt-to-the-water-when-cooking-pasta that adding an acid like lemon juice to water you're cooking pasta in will help ...
75
votes
5answers
15k views
Why add salt to the water when cooking pasta?
What is the effect of adding salt to the water when cooking pasta?
8
votes
4answers
10k views
Is it safe to use plastic wrap in boiling water?
While I've come across one or two recipes that call for using plastic wrap in pots of boiling water (for example, to cook eggs), I've always been a bit wary of putting the wrap in boiling water. Can ...
9
votes
6answers
680 views
How to soft boil an egg
Is there a fool proof way to make sure the white of the egg is set but either all or some of the yolk remains runny?
5
votes
2answers
844 views
Quickest, and safest way, to bring milk to boil
So I made homemade cottage cheese yesterday that had me cook the milk until it was just about to boil. I had it on the stove for at least half an hour because I didn't want it to start boiling the one ...
14
votes
5answers
11k views
How do I prevent an egg cracking while hard boiling it?
Sometimes when I cook hard boiled eggs they will crack in the saucepan, and some of the egg will seep out into the water.
Am I boiling the water too vigorously, or can I add something to the water to ...
8
votes
6answers
191 views
Peeling tomatoes
I have a recipe that calls for peeling tomatoes. I've found elsewhere that this is often done by boiling them and letting the skin lift away during that process.
Is there anything else that can make ...
