Irresistible honey & sesame haloumi with tabbouleh & jalapeño yoghurt

Jalapeños give a new life to creamy yoghurt and meet with the naturally sweet and floral notes of honey, to coat perfectly grilled haloumi. With a crunchy seed mix on top, you will discover a new taste and texture at every turn.

SERVES 4 READY IN 30 MINUTES

TABBOULEH
1 cup bulgur wheat
2 cups boiling water
1 telegraph cucumber
2 tomatoes
100g baby spinach
1 lemon, juiced
1 Tbsp olive oil

JALAPEÑO YOGHURT
30g sliced jalepeños
100g natural unsweetened yoghurt

HALOUMI
400g haloumi cheese
a drizzle of olive oil
1 tsp honey

TO SERVE
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds

1. Bring a full kettle of water to the boil.
2. Cook the bulgur Place the bulgur and boiling water in a heatproof bowl. Cover with a large
   plate or cloth and leave to soak for 15–18 minutes, until the grains are tender. Drain well.
3. Meanwhile, prep the veggies Dice the cucumber and tomatoes into 1cm cubes. Place them
   in a large bowl with the spinach and set aside.
4. Make the jalapeño yoghurt Finely chop the jalapeños and combine in a bowl with the
   yoghurt (see Tip on page 124). Set aside for serving.
5. Toast the seeds Heat a large non-stick, dry frypan over a medium heat. Add the sesame,
   sunflower and pumpkin seeds and toast for about 2 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a
   small bowl for serving and reserve the pan.
6. Prep & cook the haloumi Pat the haloumi dry with a paper towel and thinly slice. In a bowl,
   mix the olive oil and honey together. Add the haloumi and toss to coat. In the reserved pan,
   over a medium-high heat, cook the haloumi for about 3–4 minutes each side, until golden.
7. Finish the tabbouleh Add the drained bulgur to the veggies and add the lemon juice and
   olive oil. Toss well, and season to taste.
8. Serve Spread the yoghurt on the plates and top with the tabbouleh and haloumi.
   Sprinkle the seeds over the top.

NB: If the kids aren’t up for hot stuff, feel free to leave out the jalepeños!

Extracted from Dinner, Done Better by My Food Bag, published by Penguin Random House NZ, RRP $40.00. Text and photography © My Food Bag, 2024.