When foods are dipped into cold or iced water, the cooking process is suddenly interrupted. The hot food is placed into a sieve and then briefly rinsed with cold water or sometimes even plunged into iced water. Why is dipping in cold water so important? There are lots of reasons. Boiled eggs are dipped in cold water so that the shells are easier to remove. Pasta is rinsed in cold water so that they don't continue to cook, which would make them too soft and sticky. And vegetables are rinsed in cold water so that they retain as many of their heat-sensitive nutrients and vitamins as possible and so that their natural colour doesn't fade.