Yasmin Khan, 'Ripe Figs'

Author Yasmin Khan joins us to discuss her new cookbook, Ripe Figs: Recipes and Stories from Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus, a follow up to her acclaimed 2018 cookbook, Zaitoun: Recipes and Stories from the Palestinian Kitchen.

Halloumi saganaki

This is the perfect appetizer in my eyes: sweet, salty, crunchy, fried. Rectangles of halloumi are dusted in semolina or cornmeal, sautéed until crisp, drizzled with a warm, thyme-infused honey, and topped with crunchy pomegranate seeds. This recipe is inspired by a dish I kept returning to at the Loxandra restaurant in Nicosia, Cyprus and is one of the most popular mezze dishes that I make for my friends at home. Let’s be honest, you can never go wrong with fried cheese. Enjoy!

101/2 oz/300g halloumi cheese

1 large egg

1/4 cup/40g fine semolina or cornmeal

3 tablespoons sunflower oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon finely chopped

thyme leaves

couple of handfuls of arugula leaves

4 to 5 fresh figs, quartered (optional)

3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

black pepper

serves 4

as part of a mezze

Cut the halloumi into 8 thick slices.

Beat the egg in a small bowl and spread the semolina or cornmeal out on a plate. Dip the halloumi slices in the beaten egg, then roll them in the semolina or cornmeal so they have a crust around them.

Heat the oil in a nonstick frying pan until it is hot, then fry the halloumi pieces for a few minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Place on some paper towel to soak up any excess oil.

Meanwhile, heat the honey in a small saucepan with the thyme.

Now assemble the dish. Place the arugula on a serving plate and arrange the halloumi on top, nestling the figs around, if using. Drizzle a little of the hot honey over each slice of halloumi. Finish with a smattering of pomegranate seeds and grind some black pepper over the top.