I couldn’t help myself when I dropped by Harris Farm Market at Broadway and spotted haloumi and fresh figs virtually sitting side-by-side. Immediately I thought of burnishing slices of the cheese in a pan and tossing it with the new season figs I already had in my hand.

With a bag of baby kale leaves already in the fridge at home, plus a couple of radishes and half a pomegranate, the salad was pretty much sorted. Adding the next ingredient was a little experimental. Shengdana lehsun chutney. I still had a container of it that I made for a previous recipe and wondered how it would fare with the cheese and fruits. Well, I can safely say it does work. It’s more of a crumble of roasted peanuts and garlic with coconut and a little chilli. Together with the sour pomegranate molasses it’s a mouthful of flavours and textures; different layers that strike your palate from many angles. I reckon this would go nicely with grilled peaches instead of fig, as well.

pan-fried haloumi, fig & pomegranate

serves 4

• 250 g haloumi
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 figs, cut into quarters
• 2 tbsp pomegranate arils
• baby kale leaves
• 1 radish, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp pomegranate molasses
• 1 tbsp shengdana lehsun chutney

Cut the haloumi into 1 centimetre slices and drizzle both sides with the oil. Heat a medium non-stick saucepan over high heat and sear the haloumi on both sides, until golden.

Arrange the haloumi on a serving plate along with the figs, pomegranate arils, kale leaves and radish. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses and finally sprinkle over the shengdana lehsun chutney. Serve immediately.