Charred Halloumi with Crushed Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 500 g halloumi, sliced 1 cm thick
- 800 g chickpeas (2 tins), drained
- 60 ml olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 2 ml chilli flakes
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 large handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 large handful mint, chopped
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Heat 60 ml olive oil in a wide pan on medium. Add cumin, paprika and chilli flakes. Toast 30 seconds until fragrant — watch it, spices burn fast.
- 2
Add chickpeas, season with salt, fry 6 to 7 min. Press about a third of them with the back of a wooden spoon as they cook. You want a mix of whole chickpeas and crushed creamy bits — not a hummus.
- 3
Off the heat, stir in garlic, lemon zest and half the lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt and lemon. Hold the herbs back until plating so they stay green.
- 4
Place a cast iron pan onto the braai grid over medium-hot coals. Let it heat 3 to 4 min — flick water in, it should hiss and evaporate instantly.
- 5
Pat the halloumi very dry with paper towel. This is non-negotiable for crust.
- 6
Lay slices in the dry hot cast iron — no oil needed, halloumi has plenty of its own fat. Don't crowd, work in batches if needed.
- 7
2 min a side until deeply golden and crusted. Flip once — if you fiddle with it, you lose the crust.
- 8
Pull straight onto the chickpeas. Scatter the parsley and mint over. Eat hot.
Notes & Tips
Halloumi hates waiting
Halloumi hates waiting — cook it last, plate immediately. It goes rubbery as it cools and no amount of charm reheats it well.
Pan sticking tip
If you're using a thinner pan that wants to stick, a thin smear of oil is fine. Cast iron doesn't need it.
Salt varies by brand
Halloumi varies — some brands are saltier than others. Taste the chickpeas with that in mind and ease off the salt if needed.