Today, we prepare a crispy Manchurian halloumi: an ultra-gourmet dish where Cypriot cheese meets one of the emblematic sauces of Indo-Chinese cuisine.
In short: Crispy halloumi with Manchurian sauce is prepared with cubes of halloumi coated in a light dough made of flour and starch, fried until golden brown and then quickly glazed in a sauce of ginger, garlic, soy, tomato and rice vinegar. Served with steamed rice, it makes a quick and original vegetarian dinner.
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A recipe for crispy halloumi between Cyprus and Indo-Chinese cuisine
This recipe for crispy halloumi is based on a very simple idea: use halloumi exactly as you might use paneer in a Manchurian Paneer.
The result works particularly well because halloumi can withstand cooking very well. The cubes remain firm in the center while their flour and starch envelope becomes light and crispy. They are then immersed for a few seconds in a homemade Manchurian sauce, just long enough to glaze them without losing this contrast of textures.
The sauce provides everything you need to balance the rich and salty side of the cheese: the spiciness of the ginger, the garlic, the acidity of the rice vinegar, the soy, a small amount of sugar and the umami side of the tomato paste.
With a bowl of steamed white rice and some sautéed broccolini or green beans, this crispy halloumi becomes a real weeknight meal: generous, original, but can be made in about thirty minutes.
It’s exactly the kind of easy world cuisine recipe I like to make when I want to break out the classics without spending two hours in the kitchen.
Why does halloumi replace paneer so well in this fusion recipe?
Halloumi is an emblematic cheese of Cyprus, where it has been produced for centuries. Traditionally made from sheep’s and goat’s milk, sometimes supplemented with cow’s milk, it can be eaten cold but above all grilled or fried thanks to its particularly heat-resistant texture. The name Halloumi/Hellim has also benefited from a Protected Designation of Origin in the European Union since 2021.
It’s precisely this ability to hold its shape that makes crispy halloumi interesting here.
Paneer has a similar characteristic. It is a fresh cheese obtained by acidic and thermal coagulation of milk, traditionally widely used in South Asia. It can be pan-fried, fried or incorporated into a sauce without disappearing during cooking.
Halloumi is obviously not an identical substitute: it is saltier, more elastic and generally firmer than paneer. But technically, it performs remarkably well in this preparation.
Once cut into cubes and wrapped in a thin cornstarch paste, the fried halloumi cheese develops a golden crust while the inside remains firm and tender.
And unlike a classic breading, this cornstarch-breaded halloumi doesn’t need egg or breadcrumbs.
Homemade Manchurian sauce: an emblematic recipe of Indo-Chinese cuisine
Despite its name, Manchurian is not a traditional dish of Manchuria.
It belongs to Indo-Chinese cuisine, born from the encounter between Chinese culinary techniques and tastes developed in India. The creation of Chicken Manchurian is generally attributed to Nelson Wang in the 1970s in Bombay, now Mumbai. According to the most frequently reported account, he combined fried chicken with a sauce prepared with garlic, chili, soy sauce and vinegar.
The concept has since spawned many vegetarian versions, including the famous cauliflower-based Gobi Manchurian and the Paneer Manchurian.
It is precisely this last version that inspired my Manchurian paneer halloumi.
If you want to discover the recipe I started from, you can also find my Manchurian paneer recipe on the blog.
Here, I deliberately adapted the sauce to halloumi: the amount of soy sauce is reduced because the cheese already provides a lot of salt. The result is an intense but balanced sweet and sour halloumi with lots of ginger and garlic.
Ingredients for an easy and quick crispy halloumi
For the halloumi
- 250 g halloumi
- 30 g flour
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 5 to 7 cl cold water
- Oil for frying
For the Manchurian sauce
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 medium onion
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 12 cl water
- 2 green onions
To accompany
Steamed white rice and some sautéed broccoli, broccolini or green beans are enough to turn this halloumi with steamed rice into a complete dinner.
How do you make crispy halloumi with Manchurian sauce?
Start by cutting the halloumi into cubes of about 2 cm. Dry them thoroughly with paper towels: the less moisture remains on the surface, the better the dough will adhere.
In a bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch and chilli. Gradually pour in the cold water until you get a thick paste capable of covering the cheese without immediately sinking.
Add the cubes and mix gently.
Heat 2-3cm of oil in a deep frying pan. Fry the crispy halloumi in batches for about 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on a wire rack.
Then prepare the sauce. Mix 12 cl of water and a teaspoon of starch.
In a wok or large frying pan, heat a teaspoon of oil. Add the minced onion and sauté for two to three minutes over high heat.
Add the garlic and ginger for about thirty seconds, then stir in the tomato paste, soy sauce, sugar and white pepper.
Pour in the water-starch mixture. As it heats, the sauce will quickly become thick and shiny. Then add the rice vinegar.
Finally, immediately add the crispy halloumi and most of the green onions. Mix for 30 seconds to a minute maximum.
Serve immediately.
My Tips for Keeping Fried Halloumi Really Crispy
The main pitfall of this quick and easy halloumi recipe is leaving the cheese in the sauce for too long.
So prepare all the elements before you start. When the sauce is ready, the halloumi should be able to go directly from the grill to the wok and then from the wok to the plate.
Also use really cold water to make the dough. It helps to get a light coating. The dough should adhere to the cheese without becoming as thick as a doughnut dough.
Another important point: do not overcrowd the pan while frying. Too much crispy halloumi quickly causes the temperature of the oil to drop and results in a fattier result.
Finally, do not salt the preparation before tasting it. Halloumi is naturally salty and soy sauce also provides sodium.
To balance this weeknight meal with halloumi, I favor unsalted steamed rice and simply cooked greens.
Macros and nutritional values of halloumi with Manchurian sauce
For 1 out of 3 servings, not including the rice and estimating the amount of oil absorbed during frying:
Approx. 440 to 460 kcal
Protein: 20 g
Carbohydrates: 24 to 27 g
Fat: 27 to 29 g
With about 150 g of cooked white rice, count on around 630 to 650 kcal, 24 g of protein and about 65 to 70 g of carbohydrates.
These values are indicative: they vary mainly depending on the brand of halloumi and the actual amount of oil absorbed during cooking. The salt content can also be relatively high due to cheese and soy sauce.
Crispy halloumi: an original recipe for weeknights
This crispy halloumi is exactly the kind of hybrid dish I love: you borrow a technique from one cuisine, an ingredient from another, and you get something new without making the recipe complicated.
Halloumi brings the salty, firm and gourmet side. Manchurian sauce brings ginger, garlic, acidity and that shiny almost sticky texture. Steamed rice absorbs the sauce and balances the whole.
And best of all, this original halloumi recipe stays realistic on a weeknight.
If you’re looking for a quick vegetarian dinner, a new way to cook halloumi, or just a slightly different Indo-Chinese fusion recipe , this Manchurian halloumi definitely deserves a place in your rotation.
Crispy Halloumi and Manchurian Sauce
Ingredients
Crispy Halloumi
- 250 g halloumi
- 30 g flour
- 3 c. tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ c. teaspoon chili powder
- 5 to 7 cl of cold water
- Oil for frying
Manchurian Sauce
- 1 c. tsp oil
- 1 medium onion
- 1 c. tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 c. tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 c. teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 c. tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 c. teaspoon sugar
- ½ c. teaspoon white pepper
- 11/2 c. tsp rice vinegar
- 1 c. teaspoon cornstarch
- 12 cl water
- 2 green onions
To serve
- Steamed white rice
- Broccoli broccolini or green beans, optional
Preparation
Prepare the halloumi
- Cut the halloumi into cubes of about 2 cm and dry them thoroughly with paper towels.
- Mix the flour, cornstarch and chilli. Gradually add the cold water until you get a paste thick enough to adhere to the cheese.
- Add the halloumi and mix gently to cover each cube.
Fry the halloumi
- Heat 2 to 3 cm of oil in a deep saucepan or pan.
- Fry the cubes in batches for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
- Drain them on a wire rack or paper towel.
Make the Manchurian Sauce
- Slice the onion and green onions.
- Mix the 12 cl of water and the teaspoon of cornstarch.
- Heat a teaspoon of oil in a wok. Sauté the onion for 2 to 3 minutes over high heat.
- Add the garlic and ginger and fry for about 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste, soy sauce, sugar and white pepper.
- Pour in the mixture of water and starch. Bring to a low boil and let it thicken for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the rice vinegar.
Glaze the Halloumi
- Add the fried halloumi and most of the green onions.
- Sauté for just 30 seconds to 1 minute, just enough to coat each piece without soggy the batter.
- Remove from heat and add the remaining green onions.
Serve
- Serve immediately with steamed white rice and sautéed greens.
Notes
To maintain crispiness, only mix the cheese and sauce when serving.
The amount of water needed for the dough may vary slightly depending on the flour and starch used.
FAQ – Crispy Halloumi with Manchurian Sauce
How do you make crispy halloumi?
Pat the halloumi dry, wrap it in a dough made of flour, cornstarch and cold water, then fry it in a sufficiently hot oil. Drain it before adding it to the sauce only at the last moment.
Can you make halloumi Manchurian ahead of time?
You can make the sauce a few hours in advance, but the crispy halloumi is best right after frying. Don’t mix the cheese and sauce in advance, as the coating will lose its crispiness.
Why doesn’t halloumi melt when cooked?
The structure of halloumi allows it to withstand high temperatures while keeping its shape, which is why it is traditionally grilled or fried. This is one of the characteristics that makes it particularly suitable for this recipe.
Can you substitute halloumi for paneer?
Yes. The paneer is even the original inspiration for this recipe. Its taste is much milder and less salty, however. You can check out my original Paneer Manchurian recipe for a more traditional version.
What to serve with halloumi Manchurian sauce?
The easiest is a steamed white rice. Add broccoli, broccolini, green beans or even sautéed pak choy to bring freshness and balance the richness of the crispy halloumi.
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