Ten different ways to cook eggs for breakfast

What came first? The chicken or the egg? I say the egg because it's an amazing wonder to mankind. Perfect as a protein addition to your diet, eggs can be made in many creative ways. You don't need to eat bland eggs when you can get creative with the following methods of egg preparation. 

Hardboiled eggs

These are easy to make as it involves putting the eggs in water, boiling them, then submerging them in ice water. In a pot, place the eggs and create some space for movement then add cool water just two inches above the eggs. Bring the water to a boil for 15 minutes then turn off the stove and run the eggs through ice-cold water.

Soft boiled eggs

To the lovers of a runny yolk, this one is for you. To make a soft-boiled egg, follow similar steps of making hard-boiled eggs. The difference comes in with the timing. Ensuring that you boil the eggs for three minutes then taking them out of the water immediately is key. As a bonus tip, serve them in an egg cup and crack the top shell to scoop out the yellow goodness.

Poach them

Fill a saucepan two inches deep with water and one-half teaspoon vinegar. Bring your water to a simmer and stir it gently to create a slow whirlpool in the centre of the pan. Slide each egg cracked egg individually into the water and try to prevent them from touching the bottom of the pan. Let the eggs simmer for two minutes for a runny yolk and four minutes for a firm one.

Sunnyside up eggs

This recipe is sure to brighten up your face. Add one tablespoon of butter or oil onto a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Once it starts sizzling, crack an egg into the pan, being careful not to break the egg yolk. Turn the heat immediately to medium-low and notice how the transparency of the raw egg solidifies and whitens as the egg cooks. Sunnyside up eggs are not to be flipped.

Scrambled eggs

This classic egg recipe never disappoints. Crack two eggs into a bowl, add two tablespoons of milk or cream and whisk everything up. The dairy will give the scrambled eggs a fluffy texture. In a hot, buttered pan, pour in the mixture and turn the flame to medium-high. Let the eggs sit for a minute then use a wooden spatula to mix as you form 'egg curds'. Once you see no liquid, turn off the flame and serve.

Fried eggs

A fried egg is similar to sunny side up eggs, only that it is flipped. The yolk should also be well cooked. For the best results, break and whisk the egg separately instead of cracking it directly into a hot, buttered pan.

Omelette

In a mixing bowl, whisk together two eggs, two tablespoons of milk or cream, and one-quarter teaspoon each of salt and pepper until blended. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat until it begins to sizzle. Pour in the egg mixture and let sit for a minute or two, until the bottom begins setting.

Use a spatula to spread the eggs gently and evenly around the pan. When the top starts to set, pour a one-third cup of fillings such as cheese, onions, capsicum or diced ham over half of the omelette. Fold the empty half over the fillings and serve immediately.

Devilled eggs

These are simply hard-boiled eggs that are cut in half with the yolks removed, flavoured and then returned back into the empty white halves. To flavour the yolks, mash them together with salt, pepper, paprika and any other seasoning of your preference before scooping them back into the empty egg whites.

French toast

For this, mix eight eggs and one-third cup of milk in a bowl adding flavours and seasonings of your choice. Soak individual slices of bread in the mixture then toast them in a hot buttered pan, flipping them over for the egg coating to properly cook.

Baked eggs

For this, first, preheat your oven to 180°C. Crack open two eggs and empty them into a greased muffin tin then carefully spoon one tablespoon of milk or cream over the eggs, making sure to cover them evenly. Sprinkle salt and pepper for flavour, bake for about 15 minutes then serve them fresh.

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