away from you and towards the back of the stove so that the steam that has been trapped inside does not rise up to your face and burn you. Steam is hotter than boiling water :D
pot top
It means take the lid off the top of the cookpot.
The liquid in the pan gets hot, and creates water vapor. The lid, blanketed by the outside air, is cooler than the liquid in the pan, so the water condenses on the underside of the lid.
Pot-top
pot top
pot top
pot top
A pan doesn't dry out when you put a lid on it because you are creating a closed environment. The lid traps the steam that results from the heat. The steam hits the lid and when it can go through it turns into condensation which puts the liquid back into the pan.
Pot top
pot top
Hopefully not
You can cover a pan without a lid by using aluminum foil, a baking sheet, or a plate that is slightly larger than the pan. Simply place the covering over the top of the pan to trap heat and steam while cooking.