a dish from cyprus —
Sesame Halloumi with Honey & Carob Molasses
How this dish came to life
Cultural significance
Halloumi (χαλλούμι) carries Cyprus's PDO — the only cheese in the world allowed to bear that name. Carob honey (χαρουπόμελο) is a 3,000-year-old Cypriot pantry treasure, pressed from the pods of carob trees that grow on the dry hillsides of the island. Pairing them is a quietly modern act of Cypriot pride — every ingredient here grew up within sight of the sea.
step by step
Instructions
- 1
Pat the halloumi batons very dry with a clean tea towel — moisture is the enemy of a crisp crust.
- 2
Set up three shallow plates: one with the flour, one with the beaten eggs, one with the sesame seeds.
- 3
Roll each baton first in flour (shake off the excess), then through the egg, then press firmly into the sesame seeds so they stick on all sides.
- 4
Heat the 3 tbsp olive oil in a heavy, wide pan over medium heat — not too hot, or the sesame burns before the cheese softens.
- 5
Lay the halloumi batons in the pan, spaced apart. Fry undisturbed for 2 minutes per side, turning to brown all four sides, until the sesame is deeply golden and the crust has crackled tight around the cheese.
- 6
Lift onto a serving plate while the cheese is still molten in the middle.
- 7
In a small bowl whisk the honey, carob honey and 1 tsp of olive oil together until glossy and pourable.
- 8
Pour the honey-carob mixture over the hot halloumi in a generous zigzag. Scatter fresh thyme leaves, a few cracks of black pepper, and a final pinch of sesame seeds.
- 9
Serve immediately, with bread to mop the plate. The halloumi must be eaten hot — once it cools, it turns rubbery and the magic is gone.
tips from the village —
Wisdom from grandmothers
- 01Only use real Cypriot PDO halloumi (with the mint leaf inside). The supermarket 'halloumi-style' blocks won't sing in the pan.
- 02Soak the halloumi batons in cold water for 10 minutes if your block is very salty — the brine pulls out and the cheese fries up softer in the middle.
- 03Carob honey (χαρουπόμελο) is the heart of this dish. If you can't find it, dark molasses thinned with a little honey is the closest stand-in, but seek out the real thing from a Greek/Cypriot deli.
- 04Eat immediately. Halloumi waits for no one.
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