This vibrant vegetarian dish bursting with Middle Eastern flavours, by Persian chef Sabrina Ghayour, makes for a gorgeous lunchtime treat
This is my version of a taco, but with all the punch and vibrancy you would associate with Middle Eastern flavours. You can substitute the halloumi for Indian paneer or tofu. The flatbreads alone are incredibly moreish – you may never buy shop-bought flatbreads again!
IMAGE: KRIS KIRKHAM
Grilled Halloumi Flatbreads with Preserved Lemon and Barberry Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 x 250g blocks halloumi cheese
- 2 tablespoons Greek-style yogurt
- 5 cm piece of fresh turmeric peeled and finely grated
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lime
- good squeeze of lime juice
- vegetable oil
- 1 x recipe ‘Shaken’ Sweet Quick Pickled Onions see below*
- pul biber chilli flakes to garnish
- Maldon sea salt flakes and black pepper
For the flatbreads
- 30 g unsalted butter melted
- 175 g plain flour
- 100 ml semi-skimmed milk
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic granules
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the salsa
- ½ small packet (about 15g) of fresh dill roughly chopped
- 4 preserved lemons deseeded and very finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried barberries
- 1 avocado peeled, stoned and roughly diced
- 2 teaspoons nigella seeds
Instructions
- Cut each block of halloumi into 4 thick, equal slices. Put the yogurt, grated turmeric, crushed garlic and lime zest into a bowl, add the lime juice and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Leave the halloumi slices to marinate while you’re making the flatbreads.
- Put all the flatbread ingredients, except the oil, into a mixing bowl and mix until a firm dough has formed. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and leave to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- To make the salsa, mix the ingredients together in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- To make the harissa yoghurt, mix the ingredients together in another bowl, season with salt and pepper, and chill until ready to serve.
- When you’re ready to cook the flatbreads, preheat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll out each piece into a thin round, about 25cm in diameter. Brush the hot pan with olive oil and cook the flatbreads, one at a time, for about 45–60 seconds on each side, or until lightly browned.
- In the same frying pan, heat a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat. Add the marinated halloumi slices and fry for about 1 minute on each side, or until nicely browned.
- Divide the halloumi between the flatbreads and dollop a generous amount of the harissa yogurt on top. Add the salsa and some pickled onions, then sprinkle over some pul biber. Roll up and serve immediately.
*To make Sabrina’s ‘Shaken’ Sweet Quick-pickled Onions:
Combine 1 large red onion, halved and very thinly sliced into half moons; 1 tablespoon caster sugar; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon pul biber chilli flakes and a generous amount of Maldon sea salt flakes in a lidded plastic container. Close the lid tightly and shake vigorously for a couple of minutes until the onion slices soften, then serve. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 days in a sealed container.
Recipe taken from Bazaar by Sabrina Ghayour is published by Mitchell Beazley, £26 (www.octopusbooks.co.uk). Photography by Kris Kirkham
Feeling peckish? Share this recipe with friends, family and followers using the share buttons at the top of this page and discover more delicious recipes here
