Whenever I order grilled or pan-fried halloumi in a restaurant, I make a point of ignoring the other dishes until I've eaten enough of the cheese - it doesn't take much because it's dense and filling. I love halloumi when it's hot, but find it heavy once it has cooled.
Halloumi originated in Cyprus. Although the name is legally protected, versions of the cheese are being made in other countries, sometimes with slight variations on the spelling. It's made from sheep, cow or goat milk (or a combination of two or the three), which is heated then mixed with rennet before the curds are drained of the whey then shaped.
The cheese has a salty, tangy taste similar to that of feta, but the latter is crumbly while halloumi is chewier and more resilient. It's unusual in that it doesn't melt when heated; instead, the texture becomes soft without losing the shape. Some brands of the cheese are very salty; these should be rinsed of the brine.
Halloumi can be eaten raw in sandwiches and salads but it has a better texture when cooked. The simplest way is to pan-fry slices of the cheese in a well-seasoned cast-iron pan until it's a mottled golden brown on both sides. It can also be grilled on a barbecue. The cheese's saltiness is temper-ed when served with fruit such as watermelon or grapes, or drizzled with fresh lemon juice and olive oil then served with peppery rocket greens. The hot cheese also goes well with warm ratatouille.