Toppings, Pickles and Crisp Extras
Cooking Skills: Noodles 2
Chapter 7 · Toppings, Pickles and Crisp Extras
Skill goal
Make four toppings that finish a noodle bowl, and choose them for contrast and for how well they keep.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
A bowl of noodles becomes a meal with a few small finishing touches: something soft (a marinated egg), something sharp (a pickle), something crisp (fried shallots) and something rich (slow-cooked pork or tofu). Most can be made ahead.
Choosing toppings
| Topping | Texture | Best with | Keeps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marinated egg | Soft and savoury | Ramen, rice, salads | 2 days in the fridge |
| Quick pickles | Sharp and crunchy | Rich or fried noodles | 1 week in the fridge |
| Crispy shallots and garlic | Crisp and sweet | Soups, curries, cold noodles | 3 to 4 days in a jar |
| Soy pork or tofu | Soft and rich | Plain broths and noodles | 2 days in the fridge |
The rules
- Contrast is the point: choose one soft, one sharp and one crisp topping.
- Make the slow things ahead: eggs, pickles and braised toppings improve overnight.
- Make the crisp things last, so they stay crisp.
- Don't overload: three or four toppings is enough. The noodles and broth should still taste of themselves.
Eggs, hot oil, keeping and allergens
Marinated eggs: use Lion-marked eggs, cook them for the set time, cool them in cold water and keep them in their marinade in a covered container in the fridge. Eat within about 2 days (general guidance, I haven't found an official time for marinated eggs). A jammy yolk is not fully cooked: check current FSA advice on runny eggs, and cook the eggs for 10 minutes until solid for pregnant women, babies, older people and anyone unwell.Hot oil: never leave a pan of hot oil unattended. If oil starts to smoke, take the pan off the heat and let it cool. Never put water on a pan fire: turn off the heat and cover it with a lid or damp cloth, then get out of the room and call 999 if it spreads. Dry vegetables and noodles well, because water on hot oil spits.
Slow-cooked toppings: cool them within about 1 to 2 hours (shallow container), keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze them, and reheat until steaming hot, once only. Cook pork until tender and no pink, and the juices run clear.
Allergens: soy sauce contains soy and wheat; sesame seeds and oil are sesame; eggs are an allergen; tofu is soy; some pickling ingredients contain mustard seed. Fried shallots are usually wheat-free but check shop-bought ones, which may be coated in flour.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
Marinated soft eggs
The soft, savoury, glossy egg on a ramen bowl. It is the easiest topping and the one that makes a bowl look right. The timing matters: use a timer.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 4 Lion-marked eggs
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
- 1 slice of fresh ginger
- 1 zip-top bag or small container
- Mix the soy sauce, water, sugar, vinegar, garlic and ginger in a bag or container.
- Lower the eggs gently into boiling water and cook for 6 and a half minutes for a jammy yolk, or 10 minutes for a solid one. Cool at once in cold water for 5 minutes.
- Peel under cold water, put into the marinade (turn them or use a bag so they are covered) and chill for 4 to 12 hours.
- Halve to serve. Keep any leftover in the marinade in the fridge and eat within 2 days.
Eggs, keeping and allergens
Marinated eggs: use Lion-marked eggs, cook them for the set time, cool them in cold water and keep them in their marinade in a covered container in the fridge. Eat within about 2 days (general guidance, I haven't found an official time for marinated eggs). A jammy yolk is not fully cooked: check current FSA advice on runny eggs, and cook the eggs for 10 minutes until solid for pregnant women, babies, older people and anyone unwell.Eggs: use eggs with the British Lion mark and wash your hands after handling raw egg. Cook eggs until solid if you are unsure about runny eggs for you or your guests: the Food Standards Agency's advice on runny eggs differs for some groups, so check the current guidance at food.gov.uk.
Allergens: soy sauce contains soy and wheat; sesame seeds and oil are sesame; eggs are an allergen; tofu is soy; some pickling ingredients contain mustard seed. Fried shallots are usually wheat-free but check shop-bought ones, which may be coated in flour.
Level 1 · Quick pickles
Quick pickled vegetables
Sharp, crunchy pickles cut the richness of a noodle bowl. The same liquid pickles carrot, cucumber and red cabbage in under an hour. They keep in the fridge for a week.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 2 carrots, in thin matchsticks
- ½ cucumber, in thin slices
- ¼ red cabbage, finely shredded
- 200 ml rice vinegar
- 200 ml water
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 clean jar with a lid
- Stir the vinegar, water, sugar and salt together (warm them for a minute to dissolve if needed) and cool.
- Pack the carrot, cucumber and cabbage into jars and pour over the liquid until covered. Press them down.
- Leave for 30 minutes at room temperature, then chill. Taste after an hour. They are good for 1 week in the fridge.
Keeping the pickles
Quick pickles: these are fridge pickles, not canned ones. Use clean jars, keep the pickles covered in their liquid, store them in the fridge and eat within about 1 week (general guidance). Don't try to can or store them at room temperature without proper preserving advice.Knife safety: cut on a stable board (a damp cloth underneath), tuck your guiding fingertips back (the claw), and cut round vegetables like carrots on a flat face so they can't roll. Cooking Skills: Knife Skills 1 covers this.
Level 2 · Frying
Crispy shallots and garlic
Crisp, savoury, sweet shards to scatter over any bowl. The trick is to start in cool oil and watch carefully. Take them out before they look done.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 4 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 150 ml vegetable oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 kitchen paper and a heatproof bowl
- Dry the shallots and garlic on kitchen paper. Put the shallots in a small pan with the oil and heat gently over a medium heat.
- Fry for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring, until they turn pale gold and the bubbling slows. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper at once.
- Fry the garlic separately for 2 to 3 minutes, again taking it out when pale gold. Salt both and let them crisp as they cool.
- Strain and cool the oil: use it for dressings. Store the crisps in a jar once completely cool and use within 3 or 4 days.
Hot oil and burning
Hot oil: never leave a pan of hot oil unattended. If oil starts to smoke, take the pan off the heat and let it cool. Never put water on a pan fire: turn off the heat and cover it with a lid or damp cloth, then get out of the room and call 999 if it spreads. Dry vegetables and noodles well, because water on hot oil spits.Frying shallots and garlic: start them in cold or lukewarm oil on a medium heat, never leave the pan, and take them out the moment they turn pale gold, because they keep darkening in the hot oil and turn bitter. Drain on kitchen paper. Strain and cool the oil before storing: it can be reused for dressings and keeps in the fridge for about a week.
Level 3 · Slow
Slow-cooked soy pork (or tofu) topping
Soft, sticky, sweet-salty pork to spoon over noodles or rice. It tastes better the next day. A tofu version takes much less time.
Ingredients (6 portions)
- 500 g pork belly or shoulder, in 3 cm cubes (or 400 g firm tofu, cubed and pan-fried)
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 3 cm ginger, sliced
- 1 star anise
- 400 ml water or stock
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- Brown the pork in a dry pan on a medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, pouring off a little fat. Add the garlic and ginger for 1 minute.
- Add the soy sauces, sugar, star anise and water, bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until the pork is very tender.
- Uncover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy. Add the vinegar and taste.
- For tofu, simmer the pan-fried cubes in the sauce for just 15 minutes. Cool and chill within 1 to 2 hours; reheat until steaming hot.
Raw pork, hot sauce and keeping
Slow-cooked toppings: cool them within about 1 to 2 hours (shallow container), keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze them, and reheat until steaming hot, once only. Cook pork until tender and no pink, and the juices run clear.Hot soup: a ladle of boiling broth causes a serious scald. Keep pan handles turned in, ladle into bowls on a stable surface away from the edge, carry bowls with both hands and let children's bowls cool first. Noodles hold heat, so blow on them before eating.
Allergens: soy sauce contains soy and wheat; sesame seeds and oil are sesame; eggs are an allergen; tofu is soy; some pickling ingredients contain mustard seed. Fried shallots are usually wheat-free but check shop-bought ones, which may be coated in flour.
Experiments
Experiment
Marinating time
4 hours or 12.
- Marinate two eggs for 4 hours and two for 12 hours. Halve and taste.
Look for: The 4-hour egg is lightly seasoned with a pale rim; the 12-hour egg is darker, saltier and firmer. Both are good: pick your favourite.
Experiment
Pickle liquid
More or less sugar.
- Pickle carrot in the liquid as written and in a liquid with half the sugar. Taste after an hour.
Look for: Less sugar makes a sharper, more sour pickle; more sugar makes a milder one. Choose the one that suits your noodles.
Experiment
Frying temperature
Cool start, hot start.
- Fry one batch of shallots starting in cold oil and another dropped into hot oil.
Look for: The cold start gives even golden crisps. The hot start browns the outsides and leaves them soft inside, and they often burn. Always start gently.
Experiment
Topping amounts
Few or many.
- Build a bowl with one topping and another with four. Taste each.
Look for: One topping tastes plain; four tastes busy. Three is usually the best balance of soft, sharp and crisp.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marinated eggs | ||||
| Quick pickles | ||||
| Crispy shallots and garlic | ||||
| Slow-cooked soy pork or tofu | ||||
| Marinating time | ||||
| Pickle liquid | ||||
| Frying start | ||||
| Topping amounts |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Egg yolk overcooked | Timer missed or eggs not cooled | Use a timer and cool in cold water at once |
| Eggs hard to peel | Very fresh eggs, or not cooled | Use older eggs; peel under cold water |
| Pickles limp | Cut too thick or left too long | Slice thinly; eat within a week |
| Bitter fried shallots | Over-browned | Take out when pale gold; they keep darkening |
| Soggy crisps | Stored warm or damp | Cool completely on paper; store dry in a jar |
| Tough pork | Not cooked long enough | Keep simmering gently until it is tender |
Eggs, hot oil, keeping and allergens
Marinated eggs: use Lion-marked eggs, cook them for the set time, cool them in cold water and keep them in their marinade in a covered container in the fridge. Eat within about 2 days (general guidance, I haven't found an official time for marinated eggs). A jammy yolk is not fully cooked: check current FSA advice on runny eggs, and cook the eggs for 10 minutes until solid for pregnant women, babies, older people and anyone unwell.Hot oil: never leave a pan of hot oil unattended. If oil starts to smoke, take the pan off the heat and let it cool. Never put water on a pan fire: turn off the heat and cover it with a lid or damp cloth, then get out of the room and call 999 if it spreads. Dry vegetables and noodles well, because water on hot oil spits.
Quick pickles: these are fridge pickles, not canned ones. Use clean jars, keep the pickles covered in their liquid, store them in the fridge and eat within about 1 week (general guidance). Don't try to can or store them at room temperature without proper preserving advice.
Slow-cooked toppings: cool them within about 1 to 2 hours (shallow container), keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze them, and reheat until steaming hot, once only. Cook pork until tender and no pink, and the juices run clear.
Allergens: soy sauce contains soy and wheat; sesame seeds and oil are sesame; eggs are an allergen; tofu is soy; some pickling ingredients contain mustard seed. Fried shallots are usually wheat-free but check shop-bought ones, which may be coated in flour.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can boil and marinate eggs for a set time.
- I can make quick pickles and keep them safely.
- I can fry shallots and garlic to pale gold.
- I can braise a topping until tender and cool it safely.
- I choose a soft, a sharp and a crisp topping for a bowl.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Noodles 2, chapter 8 is A World Noodle Table: planning a table of four bowls for guests.