Poached egg

Pour water into a saucepan so that its level reaches 5–7 cm.

Heat the water by adding salt (1/4 tsp). It is important that the water is hot but not boiling vigorously — otherwise, the eggs will simply fall apart. In other words, wait for the first bubbles to appear.

If desired, you can add 9% vinegar (2 tbsp). This will simplify the cooking process and reduce the amount of protein strands that may separate from the egg during cooking.

You can first crack the egg into a slotted spoon to let the liquid part of the white drain out. The liquid part of the white is not needed when making poached eggs, as it will separate from the main part of the egg in the water.

When the water reaches the desired temperature, use a whisk to create a whirlpool in the center of the saucepan. This will help keep the white and yolk together during cooking.

When using vinegar, this step is not necessary. You can simply gently place the egg in the water.

Lower the egg into the water, trying to do so closer to the side of the saucepan rather than directly into the whirlpool.

If you want a very runny yolk, cook the egg for 1.5–2 minutes. For a firmer yolk, increase the cooking time to 4 minutes.

After the time is up, carefully remove the egg with a slotted spoon. Transfer it to several layers of paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Proceed to cook the second egg.

It is better to cook the eggs one at a time to maintain the proper shape of each egg and avoid mixing the whites.