Melissa Hemsley’s Fried Halloumi and Chickpea Rainbow Salad
A super speedy summery main or colourful side, this salad is packed with spiced halloumi and served with an accompanying cashew-mint chutney. Make some simple swaps for a plant-based version.
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Introduction
Definitely make this! It’s also delicious stuffed into a wrap, or serve it with rice or quinoa. Halloumi needs to be served straight away, so make this fresh. Swap the halloumi for paneer or use extra-firm tofu, patted dry, for a plant-based version of this dish.
Ingredients
| 2 tbsp | ghee or coconut oil |
| 400g | tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed |
| 4 tsp | garam masala |
| 2 tsp | ground cumin |
| 225g | halloumi, cut into small cubes |
| 2 tsp | maple syrup |
| sea salt and pepper | |
| For the salad: | |
|---|---|
| A little | diced red onion or chopped spring onions |
| 1 | large carrot, scrubbed and roughly grated |
| 1 handful of | diced ripe tomatoes |
| For the cashew-coriander-mint chutney (makes double): | |
| 4 tbsp | cashews or other nuts |
| 4 handfuls of | fresh coriander |
| 2 small handful of | fresh mint leaves |
| 2 | fresh green chilli, descended if you prefer, chopped, or a good pinch of chilli flakes |
| ½ tsp | ground cumin |
| juice of 3 limes | |
| 4 tbsp | olive oil |
Method
Prepare the salad and arrange in two bowls.
Heat up a large frying pan and toast the cashews for the chutney on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, tossing halfway through, until lightly golden, then tip half of them into a small bowl of a food processor and save the rest for garnishing.
Put the pan back on the heat, melt 1½ tablespoons of the ghee and fry the chickpeas (making sure they are dried well in a tea towel before so they don’t spit in the hot oil) on a medium heat for 4 minutes with half of the spices and a pinch of salt, stirring every now and then. Tip into a bowl, scraping out the delicious bits from the bottom of the pan as you go.
While the chickpeas are frying, add all the other chutney ingredients into the food processor – saving a few herbs for garnishing, if you like – along with about 3 tablespoons of water, then blend together, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
Put the pan back on the heat with the rest of the ghee and, when melted, fry the halloumi on a medium heat for about 2 minutes on the first side (keep the pieces of halloumi spaced out) and then turn, sprinkle over the rest of the spices and fry for about 1 minute on the other side until lightly golden brown and crispy at the edges. Straight away add the fried chickpeas and the maple syrup, then toss together with the halloumi and fry for 30 seconds so the chickpeas warm though and the maple syrup bubbles and thickens. Scatter the chickpeas over the bowls of salad with the halloumi on top, drizzle over half of the chutney and top with the remaining nuts.
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