Sambal halloumi morning buns

The runny yolk of the fried egg melds perfectly with the squeaky cheese and fiery chilli paste

Here, the halloumi is marinated in sambal (a chilli paste – you can find great ones in Asian grocers) until it soaks up all of that flavour. The squeakiness of the cheese sings brilliantly with sambal, and the runny yolk of the fried egg melds with all the fiery flavours.

Ingredients

• 250g halloumi
• 2 tbsp sambal belacan (chilli paste with fermented shrimp paste), plus extra to serve
• ½ tsp lime juice
• vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 eggs
• To serve
• 2 sesame brioche buns
• Kewpie mayo
• 1 avocado, sliced

Method

1. Slice 250g halloumi into 1½cm-thick pieces, coat them in 2 tbsp sambal belacan and ½ tsp lime juice, and leave to marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
   
2. Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan set over a medium heat, then fry the halloumi slices in batches until golden on both sides – about 2 minutes on each side.
   
3. Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a separate frying pan set over a medium heat. Once the oil is very hot, crack 2 eggs into the pan. Fry until the skirts of the eggs are golden and crispy, then season the still-runny yolks.
   
4. To serve, split and toast 2 sesame brioche buns. Smear one side of each bun with Kewpie mayo and the other side with a little extra sambal. Fill the buns with 1 sliced avocado, fried sambal halloumi and crispy fried eggs.