Water strictly refers to the liquid state of that substance; it can be used for washing, soaking, boiling, steaming, simmering, diluting, etc. Ask questions about using water in a recipe.
Questions tagged [water]
194 questions
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What is the white foam that builds up when I make tea?
I microwave water in order to make tea. After it is microwaved and I drop the tea bag(green tea) into the water, thick white foam builds up on the top.
What is it and should I worry about drinking it?

jrounsav
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Can I thaw salmon directly in water?
Some websites suggest putting salmon in a bag before thawing in cold water.
Is it safe to omit the bagging, and instead thaw directly in water? (If not, why?)

Asker
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Is it safe to cook with rainwater?
Is it safe to use rainwater as an ingredient versus tap water - or even cooking things in it like pasta? Would there be any differences in measurements or cooking times - the thought being that there are no chemicals in it versus Tap Water?

AttilaNYC
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Does keeping a fridge/freezer full significantly help energy efficiency?
This is one of those statements I frequently encounter, but I've never really seen evidence to support it. The advice often goes even further to say that if your fridge/freezer is relatively empty, you should add something (e.g., bottles of water).…

Athanasius
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Does water boil faster with the lid on?
When bringing water to a boil from cold water, what effect does a lid have on the time to boil? Does it increase or decrease the time? How much? Why?

yossarian
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Why is water often added to the eggs when making omelettes?
Why is water often added to the eggs when making an omelette?
Also, is there a recommended amount of water?

jontyc
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Is hot tap water safe for cooking?
I'll typically bring hot water from the tap to the boil instead of waiting longer for cold water. This hot water comes from water heater with a large storage tank. Is this considered safe?
For example, are heater storage tanks known for festering…

jontyc
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Does chlorine evaporate from water when cooking?
Most municipal water supplies in the U.S. include noticeable levels of chlorine or chloramine added to kill microbes, and often adds an objectionable chemical smell.
Does chlorine evaporate when cooking? If so, does it require boiling…

Jeff Axelrod
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How can I maximize the caffeine content of my coffee?
Like many people, I rely on coffee in the morning to really get me going for the day. I always use more than the directions require to get more caffeine for that extra morning jolt.
How much ground coffee should I use to reach caffeine critical mass…

Frank Pierce
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What can I do with vegetable water?
I just steamed some vegetables and the water below is greenish-yellow vegetable sweat basically. I don't want to waste any thing unless I have to for a valid reason. Any suggestions?

Enigmatic Wang
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Does liquid temperature matter when making bread in a bread maker?
Let me start by saying this is my first attempt at using a bread maker. I just wanted to know if the temperature of the liquid used in the bread recipe matters? Cold vs room temp or warm?

Marlene
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Why does oil transfer heat to food more gradually than water?
While working on the homework for week 2 of Harvardx's Edx course, SPU27x Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science, I came across this question:
The difference in the specific heats for water and oil is important
for cooking.…

AKKA
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Is it safe to reheat old water in an electric kettle?
I usually throw away the remaining water in the electric kettle before refilling it if the water is more than about a day old. In theory wouldn't boiling kill any impurities the old water might have? How long would the water stay drinkable in the…

JJJ
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How can I easily get water to a desired temperature?
I have a number of teas, some of which require a lower temperature for steeping than others (for instance, I have a particular Green Tea which asks for steeping at 70°C, 158°F).
I was wondering how to get the water to this temperature, and I can…

Haedrian
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What is water temperature after electric kettle switches off?
My tea preparation prescriptions says to prepare it using water heated to 96 Celsius degrees.
When water heated in standard, typical electric kettle reaches this temperature?
Is it (always?) immediately after switch turns off? Or is it 100 Celsius…

trejder
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