The thing with this salad is that the amount of ingredients you need will depend on the size of your serving dish. You really just need enough to layer everything generously, so if you have a smaller platter you may end up with too much of some things; just keep it in the fridge to make another batch later. This recipe makes a big bowl because I always take it with me to barbecues and there just never seems to be enough. Serve this refreshing salad alongside a fiery curry or some spicy grilled meat.
What you’ll need:
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
2 cups pearl barley, rinsed
350 gm haloumi, diced
¼ watermelon, diced
1 continental cucumber, diced
½ cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped
Fresh mint and parsley, roughly chopped
Dressing
Juice of 1 lemon
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small clove garlic, finely grated
1 tsp honey
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
What to do:
Place the sliced onion into a small bowl and pour the lemon juice over them, cover and set aside to steep while you get everything else ready.
Cook the pearl barley in boiling water for 35 to 40 minutes until cooked, drain and cool.
Heat a non-stick pan over medium flame and working in batches, add a little olive oil to the pan and brown the haloumi cubes on all sides. Set aside while you brown the rest.
Arrange the cooled pearl barley on your serving dish, then follow with the cucumber, watermelon and haloumi. Remove the onion from the lemon juice, reserving the juice for the dressing. Scatter the onions over the salad, followed by the parsley and mint.
For the dressing, whisk the reserved lemon juice and remaining ingredients together and drizzle all over the salad, top with the chopped almonds and serve.
Serves 8 -10 as a side
