FOR THE PICKLED CARROTS AND CUCUMBER:

3 medium carrots, julienned

1 small English cucumber, julienned

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

¾ cup white vinegar

3 ⅔ teaspoons sugar

1 whole star anise

1 to 2 dried red chiles

FOR THE FRIED MACKEREL:

3 whole mackerel, gutted and descaled

2 teaspoons premixed fish spice of your choice, such as Old

Bay Seasoning or Robertson's Spice for Fish

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

freshly cracked black pepper

4 cups neutral-flavored oil for deep frying

1 ½ cups flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

1 cup green cabbage, thinly sliced with a mandoline, to serve

1 lemon, sliced into wedges, to serve

sweet chili sauce, to serve

1. To make the pickled carrots and cucumber, place the vegeta- bles in a large bowl with the salt. Let them marinate for 10 min- utes. This will draw out the moisture and make the vegetables crunchier. Drain well and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, star anise, and red chiles. Mix until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the vine- gar mixture over the vegetables, cover, and chill in the refrig- erator for 30 minutes or overnight.

3. To butterfly your mackerel, use the tip of a sharp knife to slice underneath the fin and make a cut underneath the belly all the way to the tail (use the spine as a guide and make sure not to break any other areas of the skin). Flip the fish and repeat the

   process on the other side. Use a pair of scissors to cut down

   through the backbone behind the head and in front of the tail.

   Carefully separate the bones from the flesh. Discard the head

   and trim the fins. The mackerel tail should remain intact. Use a

   pair of tweezers if there are any remaining fish bones in the fil-

   lets. Repeat for the rest of the mackerel. Lightly season the

   mackerel on both sides with the premixed fish spice, thyme,

   and pepper.

4. Add the oil to a wok or deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Heat until the oil reaches 350°F.

5. Place the flour, eggs, and panko breadcrumbs in separate large bowls and dredge the butterflied fish in each ingredient, respectively.

6. Fry the fish for 5 to 7 minutes, flipping it halfway through the cooking time or until it turns golden brown. Place the first cooked fillet on a wire rack while you fry the rest.

7. On each of 3 plates, serve one fried mackerel with the shred- ded cabbage, pickled vegetables, lemon wedges, and sweet chili sauce.