Fried Halloumi with Spicy Tomato Gravy

Source: NYT Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 block Halloumi cheese
• 2 tablespoons ghee, divided (or sub extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 onion, sweet or yellow
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• Fresh cilantro

Instructions

Remove Halloumi from packaging and slice into 1/4″ thick slabs. Allow to drain on a paper towel for a few minutes while stove heats up. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for several minutes until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil, swirl to coat pan, and add the cheese. Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden, then flip over and cook until colored on the other side. Remove cheese to a plate, and return pan to stove, reducing heat to medium.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil to the pan, then add onions and stir to coat. Sautee for a couple minutes until they start turning translucent, then add garlic and all the ground spices (cayenne, turmeric, ginger, cumin, cinnamon) and cook for another minute or two until fragrant, stirring to combine.

Add tomatoes, chickpeas, salt, and sugar to the pan, stirring well to combine. Cover and simmer away for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt, pepper, or additional spices to taste.

When ready to serve, arrange the cooked cheese on top of the sauce and cook for another 1-2 minutes to rewarm the cheese. Scatter with cilantro and serve out of the cooking pan, alongside basmati rice and/or flatbread.