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Halloumi with watermelon

Name: Halloumi with watermelon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 250 g halloumi cheese; 1 tbsp olive oil; 800 g watermelon; 0.5 red onion; 15 g mint leaves; 1 lime; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil

Cypriot summer plate of grilled halloumi, cold watermelon and mint (χαλλούμι με καρπούζι)

Features:Vegetarian

Quick

Cuisine:Greek

In Cyprus, halloumi and watermelon is the taste of an August afternoon: icy wedges of watermelon eaten alongside salty halloumi, either fresh and squeaky or grilled until golden. Cypriots have eaten the two together for generations, on beaches, village verandas and after a long lunch. Here the halloumi is seared, then tossed with chunks of cold watermelon, mint, red onion and lime. It is a starter, a light lunch or a side for any barbecue. Some halloumi is made with animal rennet, so look for one labelled vegetarian. Chef's tip: don't cook the halloumi until everyone is ready to eat; it turns rubbery as it cools, which is the most common halloumi mistake.

Total time: 10 min
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 4

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Ingredients

Serves4

9 oz halloumi cheesevegetarian, cut into 1 cm slices
1 tbsp olive oilfor the pan
1 ¾ lb watermelonchilled, rind removed, cut into chunks
½ red onionvery thinly sliced
½ oz mint leaves
1 limejuiced
¼ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Method

0/4 done

Step 1: Arrange 1 ¾ lb watermelon, ½ red onion and most of ½ oz mint leaves on a platter. Whisk 1 lime with 2 tbsp olive oil and ¼ tsp black pepper.
Step 2: Pat 9 oz halloumi cheese dry. Heat a griddle or heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat and brush with 1 tbsp olive oil.
Step 3: Cook the halloumi for 1–2 minutes per side, until it has deep golden stripes or patches and smells toasty. It should still be soft when pressed.
4 min
Step 4: Lay the hot halloumi over the watermelon, spoon over the dressing, scatter with the rest of the mint and serve straight away.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 270 kcal
Protein: 14 g
Carbs: 15 g
Fat: 18 g
Fibre: 1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does halloumi with watermelon take?: About 10 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?: Yes. It has no meat or fish.
Is it gluten free?: Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of red onion?: White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
What can I use instead of mint leaves?: Fresh coriander, same amount.

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