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According to legend, when the Christian saint Mary Magdalene saw the resurrected Christ, the eggs in her basket suddenly turned purple. Since then, it has been an Easter custom to dye boiled eggs a different color every year. Yellow eggs among the Slavic peoples personified the fertility of the earth and the spring revival of nature. The most popular and simple method to prepare “sunny” eggs for the Easter table is considered to be staining with turmeric.
Turmeric is an ancient perennial plant from the ginger family. From the roots and stems of turmeric, a bright yellow dye curcumin is extracted, which is widely used in cooking of different peoples. However, India is considered to be the birthplace of the popular seasoning, where one and a half thousand years ago, the well-known curry spice began to be made from turmeric.
For a long time, turmeric has been used not only as a spice, but also as a natural dye. Many people know how difficult it is to wipe this seasoning off the surface if it wakes up. But when preparing Easter eggs, this feature will help to get a deep and lasting color. We figure out how to achieve bright and uniform coloring at home easily and simply.
Step-by-step recipe
Today, a wide variety of natural dyes can be found in the kitchen. From natural pigments, you should not expect bright acid colors. When stained with turmeric, the colors will be more of a dark amber and pastel yellow. The saturation of the color of the shell of Easter eggs depends on the amount of powder in the dyeing solution. But it is worth remembering that the seasoning does not completely dissolve in water, so you need to constantly turn the eggs over to evenly color. The most important step in dyeing holiday eggs with turmeric is preparation. A few of our tips will help you avoid mistakes and understand all the intricacies of this process.
Step 1. Preparing the Eggs
For coloring with turmeric, it is better to choose white eggs so that the color is brighter and more intense. Raw eggs are boiled in a coloring composition. Therefore, before staining, remove them from the refrigerator and warm to room temperature. This will protect the shell from cracking during cooking.
To make the paint fit well, rinse the eggs with a soft sponge under running water. Finally, wipe the eggs with alcohol to disinfect their surface. After that, you can start coloring.
Step 2. Painting the eggs
To 1 liter of water, add 3 teaspoons of turmeric powder for a lighter shade, or 6 teaspoons of the spice for a more intense color. Bring the solution to a boil, gently place the prepared eggs in it and cook over low heat until hard-boiled or 12-15 minutes. When the eggs are ready, take them out of the pan and rinse under running cold water.
Step 3. Feeding
Cool the finished “sunny” dyes to room temperature and polish to a shine with a napkin soaked in vegetable or olive oil. Before serving, Easter eggs can be decorated with a simple pattern, such as scratching it with a thin needle on the shell. You can also surprise guests by putting bright holiday treats in a dish with lettuce or herbs.
Chef’s Tips
To avoid cooking errors and get the desired result, Chef Rushana Kukhtina shared a few tips on the nuances of staining technology, and also answered the most popular questions.
If you add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the suggested amount of water, the paint will fix better. If there is no vinegar on hand, replace it with lemon juice or citric acid. You can also add half a teaspoon of salt. In a situation where the shell bursts during the cooking process, the salt will prevent the protein from escaping, which will allow the egg to retain its “marketable” appearance. These ingredients do not affect the quality of staining, but with their help it is easy to avoid possible inconveniences.
You can also get “sunny” krashenki by dyeing boiled eggs. True, the color will turn out paler. To do this, according to the classical technology, prepare a solution of water, turmeric and vinegar, boil it for 8-10 minutes over high heat and cool. Then gently immerse the eggs boiled in advance in the resulting mixture and refrigerate overnight.
Turmeric perfectly colors not only eggs, but everything that comes into contact with it. To protect your hands, you can wear regular silicone gloves. If you still get dirty, then wipe your hands from the dye with the help of alcohol and vegetable oil. It is important to cover the workspace with protective material, such as an old tablecloth, protective film or bags. And the pan should be chosen enameled, because it will be easier to wash it off the paint. In case the dishes cannot be cleaned, then they must be soaked in a solution of salt and soda and left for several hours. After that, even the most serious dirt is easily removed with a soft sponge and detergent.
Popular questions and answers
Together with Rushana Kukhtina, we will understand the intricacies of preparing for the Easter celebration, answering the most popular questions.