Halloumi & Herby Quinoa Salad
Donal's Notes
Squeaky salty halloumi cheese is fried until golden to top a healthy herb filled quinoa salad that can be made in an instant. Feel free to adapt with roast vegetables through the quinoa for even more bite.
Instructions
Cook 150g quinoa in a saucepan with 300ml water and a pinch of salt over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cover with a lid for 10-15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the quinoa up with a fork.
Prepare the rest of the salad ingredients. Roughly chop the tomatoes, deseed and slice the cucumber and thinly slice the spring onions.
Make the dressing in a bowl. Grate in the garlic and whisk together with 4 tbsp olive oil, half the sumac and the juice of the lemons. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a griddle pan or frying pan over medium-high heat. In the bowl, tear the pitta breads and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle over a the rest of the sumac and season with salt and pepper.
Fry the pittas in the pan, turning regularly until toasted and crisp. Remove and set aside.
Slice the halloumi into thick slices.
Fry the halloumi in the pan for 1-2 minutes on each side until charred.
In the bowl with the quinoa, toss through the tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions along with the dressing and most of the herbs.
Plate up with a generous helping of the quinoa salad, crispy pittas, halloumi and the remaining herbs!
