Haloumi fries

The best haloumi recipe I know – Haloumi Fries! Think – French fries, but better. The outsides are crunchier (thanks panko!) and the insides are warm, salty haloumi cheese. Guaranteed crowd pleaser for a party or as a starter. Fry, bake or air-fry!

The baked option is best made using my panko pre-toasting technique where the breadcrumbs are baked in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes to make them golden and crunchy before using. Otherwise, they will come out pale with brown spots rather than a beautiful even golden brown like when fried. It’s not a big deal – spread on the same tray you’ll be baking the haloumi fries.

Ingredients

• 360g / 12oz haloumi cheese blocks , 2 x 180g/6 oz blocks (Note 1)
• 2 cups canola oil (or other natural oil)
• 2 large eggs , whisked
• FLOUR DREDGE:
• 1/2 cup plain/all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp Italian herbs (Note 2)
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika (sub ordinary paprika)
• 1 tsp ground white pepper (sub black pepper)
• CRUMBING:
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs – or ordinary breadcrumbs (Note 3)
• 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• YOGHURT GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE:
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yoghurt
• 1 garlic clove , finely grated using a microplane
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice (sub white vinegar)
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt