Fried sardines with five-spice salt and pickled cucumber

1. For the five-spice powder, grind the star anise, cloves, fennel seeds and Sichuan peppercorns with a spice grinder until a fine powder. Combine with the cinnamon and salt flakes, breaking the flakes up a little as you do.

2. Add the cucumber, spring onion, salt and sugar to a bowl and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and toss with the lemon segments, coriander and chilli.

3. Gut and fillet the sardines, leaving the head and tail on and pat dry with paper towel.

4. Heat four centimetres of oil in a large, deep frying pan until 180C.

5. Working in batches, dredge the sardines through the rice flour, shaking off any excess, then through the egg white and then back through the rice flour. Lower into the oil and cook for one minute on one side, and about 30 seconds on the other. Drain on paper towel and repeat for the remaining sardines.

6. Pile the cooked sardines onto a serving platter and season with the five-spice salt while still warm. Serve with the cucumber salad on the side.

TIPS
1. For regular five-spice powder just omit the salt, and, trust me, this is so much better than pre-ground mixes that you won't mind the little bit of extra work.
2. This recipe would also work well with calamari.
3. Wrap the cooked sardines in lettuce cups with a little pickled chilli and serve as a canape.
4. Always eat sardines on the day that you buy them, and if they're looking anything less than pristine, choose something else to cook. 

Styling Deborah Kaloper; background surface from The Establishment Studios, blue ceramic under plate from The Fortynine Studio.