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Halloumi with watermelon
Cypriot summer plate of grilled halloumi, cold watermelon and mint (χαλλούμι με καρπούζι)
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
Ingredients
- 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
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Method
0/4 doneStep 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 minStep 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.
KrazyBadal
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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Perfect for:Summer coolers