Become an 'eggspert'

Most of us love eggs and use them in our day-to-day cooking. An egg is a versatile ingredient that is nutritious and sumptuous at the same time. One can easily cook up a healthy and quick meal using this high-quality protein. Eggs are also a rich source of iron, vitamins, minerals and carotenoid. With a few tricks up your sleeve, you can become an 'eggspert':

* To identify stale eggs, just put all of them in a bowl of water. The fresh eggs will sink to the bottom of the vessel, while the stale ones will float in the water.

* If you have accidentally mixed up hard boiled and fresh eggs, don't worry, you can separate them easily. Just twirl each egg on its pointed end. The boiled eggs will spin like a top, while the raw ones will just topple over.

* The shell of each egg has about 17,000 tiny pores on its surface. The shell is a semi-permeable membrane, which allows air and moisture to pass through its pores. So make sure never to buy dirty or soiled eggs, as the dirt can be easily absorbed by the egg white and yolk through the pores.

* Eggs are best stored in their containers. Keep the large side up, and store them away from foods which have strong smell as the eggs may absorb the smell.

* Don't wash the eggs while storing them, as the shell has a protective coating called the 'bloom' or 'cuticle', which helps counteract evaporation through the pores and also helps to keep out bacteria and dust.

* To make a fluffier omelette, add a tbsp of milk to the egg mixture while beating it.
* To make omelettes in different shapes, heat the pan and place cookie cutters on it. Pour the omelette mixture into each mould and let it cook on a low flame till it takes shape. Remove the cookie cutters and flip the omelettes to cook them on the other side.
* To boil eggs perfectly, first place the eggs in a pan, then add water over them and boil them for 12 minutes.

* Adding some salt to the water while boiling eggs, will help peel the shells easily.
* If the eggs crack in the process of boiling and the whites have started oozing out, add ½ tsp of vinegar to the water to seal the cracks.

* You can use a small plastic funnel to separate the egg yolk from the whites. Place the funnel over a small container and break the egg into it. The egg white will go down the funnel into the container and the yolk will remain in the funnel.

* If you accidentally leave a small piece of the egg shell in your egg mixture, use a bigger piece of the egg shell instead of a spoon to remove it easily.

* If you have dropped an egg on the floor, cover it properly with salt and leave it for 10 minutes. Now the mess can be cleaned easily.