Crispy, salty, cheesy and utterly moreish, these make for perfect party food! We’re sure haloumi fries are going to be popping up on restaurant menus and all over social media in the very near future – and for good reason.
Recipe and styling by Claire Ferrandi
Assisted by Alfred Nqayi
Photograph by Dylan Swart
TRY THIS: Sesame crusted haloumi with chilli and ginger jam
How to make haloumi fries
Ingredients
DIPPING SAUCE
- 125g red pesto
- 300g full cream plain yoghurt
- 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
- juice of ½ lemon
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
HALOUMI FRIES
- 320g block haloumi
- 150g cake flour
- 2 eggs, beaten with a pinch salt
- 85g panko breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil, to shallow-fry
- salt, to taste
Instructions
For the dipping sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a medium-sized serving bowl and season to taste. Set aside at room temperature until needed.
For the haloumi fries, slice your block of haloumi into sticks of about 7cm x 1cm.
Place the cake flour in a bowl, the beaten eggs in another bowl and the breadcrumbs in a third bowl. Line a small chopping board or tray with baking paper.
Crumb your haloumi sticks by dipping one into the cake flour, followed by the beaten eggs and then the panko breadcrumbs. Lay the crumbed haloumi stick on the chopping board or tray lined with baking paper. Repeat these simple steps until all of the haloumi sticks have been crumbed. Refrigerate the crumbed sticks, 15 minutes.
Just before serving, pour the vegetable oil into a deep pan to come about 3cm up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil over medium heat to about 180˚C. (Use a sugar thermometer to check the temperature, although it doesn't have to be exact; your oil is ready when you add a crumbed haloumi stick to the oil, it bubbles immediately and turns a golden brown colour within about 1 minute.) Shallow-fry your haloumi sticks, about 1 – 2 minutes in total, turning occasionally with tongs to fry evenly. The fries are ready when they are golden brown and crispy. Fry the sticks in batches, if necessary, so as to not overcrowd the pan.
Drain the haloumi fries on paper towel and sprinkle with salt to taste. Give the dipping sauce a good stir and serve the haloumi fries warm with the dipping sauce alongside.
ALSO TRY: Deep-fried haloumi with chilli relish
Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. www.imkawebb.com
