Cooking a poached egg can be a struggle as it’s easy for the egg white to separate in the water once cracked, but one expert has shared a simple way to make the breakfast favourite just right
Preparing a poached egg is simpler than you might imagine and can be accomplished in just one minute, provided you follow the correct method.
Nothing beats a perfectly soft poached egg atop a slice of buttered toast, yet the egg can easily disintegrate when cracked into boiling water. Dannii Martin, a culinary expert and creator of Hungry Healthy Happy, has revealed that the straightforward approach to cooking a poached egg doesn’t require white vinegar or even a saucepan, as it’s best prepared in the microwave.
She explained: “This is seriously the easiest way to poach an egg, and so much quicker too – all you need is a mug and a microwave. We want to show you that healthy eating can be quick and easy too”. This comes after the success of Mary Berry’s ‘easy’ dauphinoise potatoes recipe, made with just six ingredients.
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Whilst it may sound peculiar, preparing an egg in the microwave is an excellent method for achieving the ideal poached egg as it requires less than a minute to complete, reports the Express.
Dannii noted: “Microwaves tend to cook things much quicker, which is perfect for those with less time in the kitchen. You also don’t usually need to do any stirring, which is perfect if you need something you can just put in and leave”.
Attempting this straightforward technique means you needn’t fret about achieving the correct temperature or timing whilst cooking, while still managing to create a perfectly soft poached egg with an ideal yolk.
You will need
- An egg
- 130ml of room temperature water
- A mug
- A plate
- A spoon
- Toothpick or knife
- Paper towels
Method
To start, add the water to a mug, then carefully crack the egg into the water. Use a toothpick or sharp knife to carefully pierce the egg yolk a couple of times to prevent the egg from exploding in the microwave.
Pop the mug in the microwave, cover the top with a plate, and then cook the egg on a high-temperature setting for 30 seconds. Take off the plate and check if the whites are fully cooked and set. The cooking time will depend on your microwave and you may need to experiment a bit to get the poached egg perfectly cooked.
If it needs more time, simply pop the egg back in the microwave and cook for 10 seconds at a time until it’s fully cooked. Dannii states: “Once you have experimented a little with making this in your own microwave and getting the cooking times right, you will have perfect eggs every time”.
Once the poached egg is cooked, use a spoon to lift the egg from the mug and place it on a piece of kitchen roll. Your perfectly cooked poached egg is now ready to serve for breakfast on a bagel, a piece of buttered toast or even on a bacon sarnie.
