Halloumi curry

Halloumi curry is used in this simple mixed vegetable curry which might sound unusual, but it’s very similar to paneer. The advantage is that halloumi is much more widely available (budget supermarkets tend not to stock paneer).

Ingredients

For the batch-cooked roast vegetables

• 1kg/2lb 4oz courgettes, cut into 3cm/1¼in chunks
• 2 onions, cut into wedges
• 600g/1lb 5oz peppers, seeds removed and cut into 3cm/1¼in pieces
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp paprika
• salt and ground black pepper

For the curry

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 450g/1lb halloumi, cut into 3cm/1¼in cubes
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp medium curry powder (see Recipe Tips)
• ½ of the batch-cooked roast vegetables (about 450g/1lb cooked weight), see above
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 400g tin reduced-fat coconut milk
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 200g/7oz rice, cooked according to packet instructions, to serve

Method for Halloumi curry

1. To make the roast vegetables, preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.

2. Put all of the vegetables on a large baking tray. Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle with the paprika. Season with salt and pepper and toss well to coat. Roast for 45 minutes, turning the vegetables halfway through roasting, or until softened and cooked through. Set aside.

3. To make the curry, heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil over a high heat in a large, deep frying pan. Add the halloumi cubes. Cook for 5–10 minutes until golden all over. Carefully remove from the pan and set aside.

4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining vegetable oil to the pan along with the garlic, curry powder and half of the roast vegetables (set aside the remaining roast vegetables for another recipe in this meal plan). Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic has just softened.

5. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for a further 2–3 minutes until everything is coated.

6. Add the coconut milk and salt and stir well. Put the lid on, turn the heat down to low and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Return the halloumi to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes until heated through. Serve immediately with the rice.

Halloumi curry