Serves 4
1 whole mackerel, gutted and cleaned 1⁄2 cup jasmine or black tea leaves
1⁄3 cup brown sugar
1⁄4 cup raw rice
To serve:
Baguette or sourdough slices
2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped Pickles (cornichons, gherkins, or onions)
Method:
Cut head off the mackerel and discard.
Line the base and sides of a large, deep pot* with two layers of aluminium foil. Combine tea leaves, brown sugar, and rice in a bowl and spread this mixture evenly over the foil base. Place a metal rack (that fits inside the pot about 8cm above the tea mix) over the tea- sugar mixture. You can line it with a steaming paper liner with holes. Place the mackerel on the rack. Cover the pot tightly with a lid. Heat over high heat for 2-3 minutes until you see wisps of smoke. Lower heat to low and smoke for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for another 5 minutes.
Carefully remove the smoked mackerel from the pot and transfer to a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with baguette or sourdough, a sprinkle of chives, and pickles on the side.
Leftover mackerel can be mashed with cream cheese, lemon, and herbs to make a delicious spread or dip.
*You can use a pot with a matching metal vegetable steamer and lid here. If using a bamboo steamer, note that it will discolour and take on the smoke aroma that will not come out. Allow the mixture and foil to cool completely before removing from the pot and discarding as it will be extremely hot and can burn through your bin. Mackerel can be smoked ahead and kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.