Halloumi fries with a citrus lime mint dipping sauce

Halloumi fries with a citrus lime mint dipping sauce

Halloumi fries with a sweet, spicy and tangy citrus lime mint dipping sauce

We grew up eating so much cheese, one could imagine that we might be sick of it. But really, how could anyone tire of the endless variety of wonderful Greek cheeses, and the countless ways they can be enjoyed.  Oh sure, we would sometimes find a block of orange cheddar in the refrigerator, but we were much more likely to find feta, kefalotiri, kefalograviera, mizithra and halloumi; Greek cheese heaven.

So many cheese options of course gives rise to so many possibilities. Not satisfied with simply nibbling on a chunk of cheese while sipping wine (or juice), our parents used cheese in a wide variety of recipes. The tyropita was always a staple, as were baked fetasesame coated fried feta  and kalitsounia.  Their wonderful ways with cheese inspire us to create recipes and to tweak old ones so that they seem new again; these halloumi fries are an example of that.

Halloumi fries with a citrus lime mint dipping sauce

Although we often had halloumi growing up, our parents tended to grill it either on the outdoor grill or in a frying pan in the kitchen; halloumi loves that.  Treating halloumi this way leads to all sorts of delightful recipes, like our citrus salad with fried halloumi, a wonderful salad any time of year. 

What is halloumi?

A Cypriot cheese, halloumi is unique as it has a very high melting point, allowing it to be heated through quite significantly without turning into a gooey mess.  This is a semi-hard, unripened cheese, usually made from a combination of sheep and goat’s milk.  If you’ve never eaten halloumi, you should know a few more things about it.  First, it is very salty, and it’s squeaky; it literally squeaks when you chew it.  So, halloumi as a midnight snack, secretly being munched on in bed, may not be the best idea (Theoretically of course! It’s not like we would ever do such a thing!)

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We love the versatility and flavour (and even the texture) of halloumi so much that we felt we had to give halloumi fries a try.  Think of them as Greek mozzarella sticks, only different (you know, because there is no mozzarella).  The combination of spiced flour and semolina coating, served with a sweet, tangy and spicy citrus lime mint dipping sauce make these cheese fries fancy enough for entertaining, and simple enough to be enjoyed all on your own.

Helpful hints

Learn how to make halloumi fries with a citrus lime mint dipping sauce.

The reason that the flour and semolina coating sticks to the halloumi so well is because the cheese is wet.  If you have removed the halloumi from its packaging and have sliced it in advance of frying it, cover the cheese either with plastic wrap or a damp paper towel to keep it moist.  If the cheese does dry out and the flour/semolina coating has a hard time adhering to it, simply run the halloumi under a bit of water.

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This really is a dish that is best served immediately.  The halloumi will toughen up again as it cools, and the dipping sauce will congeal, making it more spreadable than dip-able.  If you do happen to have any halloumi fries and dipping sauce left over however (unlikely), you can give them a few seconds in the microwave.

Halloumi fries with a citrus lime mint dipping sauce
Halloumi fries with a citrus lime mint dipping sauce
Halloumi fries with a citrus lime mint dipping sauce

Serving your halloumi fries with citrus lime mint dipping sauce immediately can also mean very hot cheese.  Please test these halloumi fries before serving them to young children or the very elderly.  They should be warm, but not dangerously hot.  Eat responsibly friends.

Looking for more delicious and cheesy appetizers and snacks? We’ve got you covered. Check out:

Sesame coated fried feta with honey and walnuts

Warm feta packages

Cheese saganaki

Halloumi fries with a citrus lime mint dipping sauce

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Halloumi sticks with a sweet, spicy and tangy dipping sauce.

Halloumi fries with a citrus lime mint dipping sauce

Halloumi sticks with a sweet, spicy and tangy dipping sauce.
5 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Greek
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Author: Mia Kouppa

Ingredients

  • Halloumi, cut into 10 – 12 sticks, each of which are approximately 1/2 inch thick and the length of a regular french fry
  • 1/4 cup (37 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup fine ground semolina
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • vegetable oil for frying

For the dipping sauce:

  • 1/2 cup prepared, or store bought citrus marmelade
  • 1/2 tbsp grated lime zest
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

Instructions

  • Combine all of the ingredients for the sauce in a small sauce pot and heat over medium heat until you achieve a liquid consistency.  Lower the heat and allow your sauce to simmer while you prepare and fry your halloumi.  Stir your sauce from time to time to make sure that it does not burn on the bottom of the pan.
    1/2 cup prepared, or store bought citrus marmelade, 1/2 tbsp grated lime zest, 1 tbsp (15 mL) lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
  • In a medium sized bowl combine the flour, semolina, oregano and paprika, and stir well until combined.
    1/4 cup fine ground semolina, 1/4 cup (37 grams) all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat in a non stick pan.  The oil should be approximately 1/2 inch deep.
  • Add the halloumi to the flour mixture, a few pieces at a time, and toss to coat.
  • Carefully add the halloumi fries to the hot oil being careful not to overcrowd the pan.  Cook over medium high heat for approximately 5 – 7 minutes, until the halloumi sticks are golden brown on all sides.
  • Transfer the halloumi to a paper towel lined bowl so that the excess oil can be removed.
  • Pour the sauce into a small dipping bowl.  Transfer the halloumi fries to a new bowl or plate and serve immediately.
  • (Remember to check the temperature of the halloumi fries before serving them to young children or the elderly).
  • Enjoy!

Thanks for sharing!

2 Comments

  1. Christina Makrides says:

    These are delicious. Better than saganaki. Very crispy and the marmalade is the perfect accompaniment. Thank u for a delicious recipe 😊5 stars

    1. miakouppa says:

      Yay! So happy that you love these Christina! We find them to be a perfect snack or meze 🙂 Hope you continue to find much to love here!
      xoxo Helen & Billie

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