Although I never tried Halloumi fries while in Cyprus, I have eaten a lot of Cypriot Halloumi cheese in Cyprus and in London. Luckily, it is easy to find in the normal supermarket. The “fries” are named for the shape and are not traditionally eaten like this in Cyprus. I love eating the fries as snacks, either on their own or dipped in spicy sauce or yoghurt. Sometimes, I make a mix of hot sauce and yoghurt for the dip. This recipe for Halloumi fries is easy and quick. For a healthier version, they can be air-fried, though they don’t get quite the same crispiness.
The key ingredient is the spice mix, so if you can find zaatar then gives nice flavour. In fact, the composition of zaatar is made up of oregano, sesame seeds, thyme and other variable spices and herbs.
Ingredients
2 packages of halloumi (225g each)
3 Tbsp zatar spices (or you can use herbs de Provence if you can’t find this)
80 g plain flour
vegetable oil for frying
Hot sauce or yoghurt for dipping
Instructions
First, cut the halloumi into long strips, like thick-cut fries. Then pre-heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Next, in a bowl mix the flour and zatar spices (or herbs). Coat the halloumi pieces with the flour mixture. Shallow-fry the halloumi, turning to brown all sides. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Finally, serve with hot sauce or yoghurt, or both mixed together.
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