Tonight’s Veggie Dish: Courgettes & Halloumi Lentils

Marinating salty and savoury halloumi elevates it to another level of flavour. Teamed with delicate courgette and earthy lentils, this comforting dish shows that meat-free cooking need not mean compromising on flavour.

Serves 4

Ingredients
400g courgettes, cut into 1cm thick slices
1 pack of halloumi (250g), cut into 1cm-thick slices
zest and juice of 1 lemon
50ml good-quality olive oil
2-3cm piece of turmeric, peeled and finely grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
a handful of chives, chopped
a handful of mint, finely chopped
pinch of chilli flakes
1 good-quality vegetable stock cube
200g Puy lentils
120ml natural yoghurt (low-fat or fat-free, if liked)
a small handful each of chopped chives and mint leaves, to serve

Method
Tip the courgettes and halloumi into a bowl and add the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, turmeric, garlic, half of the herbs, and the chilli flakes. Stir gently so as not to break up the halloumi and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour 1.5 litres of boiling water into a pan, stir in the stock cube and tip in the lentils. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until just tender. Drain, set aside and keep warm.

Heat a non-stick frying pan until smoking hot. Lift the halloumi and courgettes out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and blot on kitchen paper to remove most of the moisture. Add the halloumi and courgettes in a single layer and fry for 2 minutes on each side, until golden. You will probably need to do this in two batches.

Pour the yoghurt into the remaining marinade and mix to combine. Stir through the lentils and serve, topped with the courgettes, halloumi and remaining herbs.

Extracted from The Goodness of Ginger & Turmeric by Emily Jonzen (Kyle Books, approx €11.50). Photography by Faith Mason.