Dippy Eggs & Soldiers

Dippy eggs (otherwise known as soft-boiled eggs) with soldiers has to be one of my all-time favorite breakfasts. I've been eating it since I was a child and firmly believe that I will never tire of it. "Soldiers" are just strips of buttered toast and the Vegemite is optional.

Soft boiled eggs are commonly called "dippy eggs" in Australia. They are so-called because they are cooked until the egg white is firm but the yolk remains runny. Thus, they are perfect for dipping "soldiers" into. I don't know how soldiers got their name. Perhaps when "all the King's men couldn't put Humpty together again" the King's soldiers decided that it would be a terrible shame to put Humpty to waste, so they just dipped in. Perhaps, though, soldiers' origins are more prosaic -- it's just that they line up on your plate like soldiers standing to attention. Whatever their origin, soldiers have a cherished place in Australian and New Zealand breakfast culture.

There is an art to the soft-boiled egg. Timing is everything. Too soon and you'll have runny whites, which just won't do. Too late and they're not dippy at all.

To begin with, it makes a difference if you're pulling your eggs straight out of the fridge or whether you've let them come to room temperature (Tip: room temperature eggs will be less likely to crack in the pot.) The size of the pot you're using also makes a difference -- the bigger it is, the more water you'll need and the longer it will take to boil. Further, a gas stove will boil water faster than an electric one.

But don't despair! It's just an egg, after all! After a couple of attempts, I personally guarantee that you'll have mastered the soft-boiled egg

(this guarantee is not binding on the author whatsoever.)

More Breakfast Ideas:

• Banana and Cinnamon Porridge Recipe
• Aussie Breakfast Fry-up Recipe
• Pikelets Recipe
• Fruit Medley with Passionfruit Yogurt Recipe
• Strawberry Smoothie Recipe

Photo: © S. Wongkaew (2008) licensed to About.com, Inc