How to poach an egg quickly

Plus, there’s minimal washing up

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While tricky to perfect, a poached egg served on hot toast with a crack of black pepper is a hard thing to beat and arguably the best way to start your day.

When it comes to mastering a flawless technique though, chefs have long debated the importance of temperature, the amount of water and even the pros and cons of adding vinegar or salt.

Luckily, the experts at Kitchn – a daily online food magazine – have revealed a fool proof way to make the perfect poached egg in less than 90 seconds.

The secret? Cooking it in the microwave.

All you need is an egg, a mug, half a teaspoon of vinegar and a third to half a cup of water.

First of all, start by placing both the water and vinegar into the mug before cracking in the egg and making sure it’s fully submerged into the mixture.

Next, place the mug into the microwave and cover with a small plate or saucer.

With your microwave on medium high power, cook the egg for just 60 seconds before carefully removing the plate to check it.

If the egg isn’t quite done, put the plate back and cook for a further 20 seconds.

Once ready, use a slotted spoon to drain the water out of the mug and place the egg onto your food of choice, be it chunky warm toast, a bagel or even a burger.

This article has been updated. It was first published in September 2017.