Haloumi Cheese Salad

The food photography course finally finished, leaving me with the basic knowledge I need to continue taking mouthwatering pictures. There are three levels of excitement while preparing a recipe post. Shooting with my DSLR camera is the first. The second, using my sister as an experiment field. After the food is done, I always ask her to take the first bite, and taste what you can call it the unknown. The excitement begins when I watch her while deciding whether to throw what she is eating out or finish the whole plate. The third excitement level, is when I start writing the post.

One of my sister’s best childhood dishes is Fried Haloumi. We used to go and visit my aunt’s house to eat fried haloummi for breakfast or for dinner. I used to think of my aunt as the only person who knows how to prepare the fried haloumi. Now I know that I got the wrong impression; however, her fried haloumi is still the best. Her original recipe was like this .. fry the haloummi with a little amount of vegetable oil. Wrap the haloummi with pita bread and dip it into fried tomato sauce, which she prepare as well. Enjoy was always the first thing we think of while tasting the first bite. I remember that, we (my sister, my aunt’s daughters, and I) used to consume two to three packets every single day.

When cheese is added to the salad the taste becomes rich and unique. That’s why I thought of creating a salad based on haloumi cheese as a main ingredient. To make it more healthy and less in fat, I decided to grill the cheese instead of frying it. Which turned to be a very delicious plate!

Haloumi Cheese Salad

The recipe was so easy to implement, and more tasty to eat. I discovered that when I put the plate in front of my sister and found it clean in a few minutes.

Ingredients

100g Haloumi Cheese

1 big tomato

Bunch of watercress leaves

Making the salad

Wash the watercress thoroughly. Then cut it into half’s. Spread the leaves in the plate. Wash the tomato and cut it into 0.25 inch slices. Cut the haloumi cheese into 0.25 inch slices as well. Place the cheese on the grill and cook till the bottom becomes golden yellow. Flip the haloumi to the other side. Again grill till the bottom of the haloumi turns golden yellow. While grilling you will notice that, when the cheese starts to absorb heat, the water in it will start to evaporate. After few minutes the cheese will tender and the outer skin will turn to golden yellow.

Place one slice of tomato then one of haloumi, and repeat the sequence till you complete the whole line.

enjoy with love,

Maryam