How to hard boil eggs

Boiled eggs sprinkled with a bit of salt and pepper is something I have always relished. On a lazy day, mashed boiled egg, mashed boiled potatoes, masoor dal and rice topped with a dollop of ghee make the ultimate comfort food for a Bengali.

When I started cooking, it was a real challenge for me to get the perfectly boiled eggs. But over time, I have been able to learn it better and it's no more a big task for me. If you're a novice and hard boiling eggs is a challenge for you then do as mentioned below and it wouldn't be so much of a problem any more.

What you need

Eggs - as per requirement

Water

Salt

Method

1. Place the eggs in a pot gently to avoid breaking them.
2. Fill it completely with cold tap water. There should be some water over the eggs.
3. Cook the eggs on medium heat.
4. Add a pinch of salt to the water.
5. Put on a lid, increase the heat and bring the water to boiling point.
6. At this point in time, reduce the flame and keep heating for 5 minutes more without removing the lid.
7. Turn off the heat, but keep the pot on the hot stove. The steam will help getting the eggs cooked. Leave the eggs in the water for 10-15 minutes.
8. Take the eggs out and place them under cold running water. This helps to separate the egg sheels from the egg.
9. Once they are cool enough, roll the egg on a flat surface to crack the shell slightly prior to peeling.
10. Start peeling from the thick end of the egg.
11. While peeling, ensure to grab the membrane underneath the shell.

Note:

1. Do not place too many eggs in the pot. Doing so will prevent them from getting cooked evenly.
2. Do not place cold eggs in a pot of hot water, the shells will crack immediately and the egg will run. 
3. Adding salt makes the eggs easier to peel. Also slightly fresher eggs are easier to peel.
4. Be very careful with the time coz too much time will make the eggs discolored and smelly, while too little time will cause them to be runny.
5. To see if the egg is hard boiled, whirl it fast on a table. If it turns fast, it is hard boiled. If it turns slowly, it is soft boiled.