Broccoli stir-fried with homemade salted fish

Cover the fish fillet on both sides with a thick blanket of salt.

Refrigerate 2 to 24 hours; longer is saltier and keeps longer, shorter allows bigger pieces to be eaten. This fish was cured about 16 hours.

Rinse off the excess salt with cold water and pat really dry; the flesh will be noticeably firmer.

Cook the fish over moderate heat, letting the mackerel release its own fat, a couple of minutes per side until golden brown.

Taste the fish for salt and chop it: smaller if very salty, chunkier if mild. Use about half the fish.

Cut the broccoli so every piece has a flat surface.

Heat the wok, add oil generously, lay about half the broccoli flat side down and sear until browned; turn and sear the other side. Do not cook through. Repeat with the rest.

In the same wok on medium heat with a little oil, add the roughly pounded garlic and the fish; cook only until the garlic is soft, since longer cooking makes the fish saltier.

Return the broccoli; season with oyster sauce, a little soy sauce, a touch of sugar and a touch of water.

Add Thai chilies late; cook until the broccoli is done but still firm. Serve with rice.