If cooking is so difficult for you that you can’t even put a pot of water on the stove, don’t be discouraged; boil (or boil) is the simplest way and fundamental of cooking food and preparing some of your favorite foods.
What is boil?
Scientifically speaking, boiling is a phase change explosive between a liquid state and a gaseous state. Bringing to a boil is an essential cooking method used to prepare everything from pasta to vegetables, eggs and meats. It’s used in kitchens around the world every day, and best of all, it requires a pot or saucepan to get started. With this method, food is cooked at a relatively high temperature, in water or some other water-based liquid.
Despite the fact that boiled foods have a reputation for being bland, bland or boring. This can be remedied by boiling them in well-seasoned water with spices and herbs such as bay leaves, peppercorns, and fennel, or broth, or together with other liquids, such as wine, cow’s milk, or coconut milk.
When liquids boil at 100ºCthe bubbles caused by the water steam they meet on the surface of the liquid and burst. At this point, the food is completely submerged in water for even distribution of energy. Due to physical convection currents, the liquid transfers this heat to food and then, this is absorbed by the surface of the food to increase the internal temperature and cook.
The best way to tell if food is boiling is by looking at the surface of the liquid. Are there large bubbles breaking on the surface? If this does not happen, it may be necessary to turn up the heat or cover the pot to reach 100ºC. Now, for an accurate record, it is best to use a thermometer to control the temperature of the water and measure the internal temperature of whatever you are cooking. being a effective cooking methodworks better with more resistant foods; any delicate ingredients can quickly go bad or wilt.
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Advantages and disadvantages
First of all, boiling is incredibly simple and allows you to cook a large number of dishes with relative ease. In terms of weathercan be lightning fastFor example, pasta and vegetables can take 10 to 15 minutes, while green leaves such as spinach or Swiss chard will be ready in a matter of seconds. As for the palate, boiled foods retain their Natural flavor, without the need to add fats or oils and reduce the use of sauces. For this reason, boiling is the best way to make light combinations that promotes digestion.
However, over-boiled foods can mean a loss of water-soluble vitamins and minerals. For this, it is best to incorporate the cooking liquid as part of the dish to maintain the nutritional value, as is the case with soups, stews or broths.
foods to boil
One of the central elements to the boiling method is learning to control the food cooking times. There are four factors involved: the size of the portion, the quantity, the form and the type of ingredient. As a practical guide, if we choose to boil:
Eggs: Hard and soft eggs require different boiling times. Generally speaking, over medium heat, 5 minutes for a soft yolk and 6-7 minutes for a hard-boiled egg.
Pasta: Every pasta is different, but the goal is to boil until the pasta is al dente, or “to the tooth.” Ideally, the paste should provide some resistance rather than being completely smooth all the way through. To do this, it is always recommended to follow the instructions indicated on the package in each case.
Potatoes and root vegetables: Depending on the density and size of the potato or root vegetable, this may vary. It is considered cooked when the tip of a sharp knife can be easily inserted into the vegetable without too much resistance. While a carrot can take 25 minutes, a potato can take up to 30 minutes.
To get inspired and get the most out of boiled preparations, you can opt for a succulent soup with vegetables or stewed lentils. Even so, we must bear in mind that through boiling, other elaborations are also obtained, such as vegetable funds or the syrup that we like so much in desserts.
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