With the lid on, the water in the pot boils faster. We recommend that you select a pot that has a handle. This makes it easier to pour the water out, when needed, once it has boiled. Then you can watch the water as it works its way up to a boil. Take care not to spill it on yourself or anyone else.
Boiling water can cause burns.
I find that a measuring cup is not specific enough. I must count the actual number of raisins that go into the pudding. Since it must be exact, I count the raisins until I get 4 exact readings of the number of raisins, in a row. If I count 235, then 236, I start again, unless the next count is 236, in which case I would want two more counts of 236 to be correct. Then it takes me about a half hour to arrange the raisins in the pan in such a way that you get, roughly, plus or minus 2 raisins, the same number of raisins in each spoonful.