Don't Sweat the Aubergine

I have a keen interest for cookery books. Occasionally, I buy one or two. Though, I do loose interest soon.

Anyway, yesterday I went to the Daunt Books at Cheapside, near the St Pauls. It was Friday evening, I left office a bit earlier than usual. As I was looking around and hoping I would find a book I would truly buy today, I saw this book Don't Sweat The Aubergine. Who says you shouldn't buy a book by its cover, I do.

On my way back to home in the train, I started flicking through the pages and stopped at the section Eggs.  Boiled eggs had always been a mystery to me. I always had hit and miss. I went though the section on how to make boiled eggs. The writer started off saying he does not the readers patronized. I wasn't. Like me, most people do not know this simple trick. Now I know it.

1. Bring the water to the boil, then the heat on your hob right down before lowering in the egg or eggs. I guess, you have taken the eggs out of the fridge sometime ago. I prefer to boil water using a cattle and then pour it in the saucepan.
2. You are less likely to crack the shells if the water is at a gentle simmer and the eggs will benefit from slow cooking. 
3. Keep the heat at a low level below simmering or boiling point, just let it show a few rising bubbles.
4. It's very difficult to give exact timings. I would suggest 5 minutes for a medium boiled egg with a runny yolk: after 7 minutes, the yolk will be partly runny. At 10@12 minutes, it will be hard-boiled, but still moist.
5. If you prefer hard-boiled eggs, put them into cold water for a while when they're ready; otherwise, their residual heat will carry on cooking them. You don't want that to happen.

So, this is the simplest method to make boiled eggs. Enjoy!