Fattoush salad with pomegranates and halloumi cheese is a perfect start to a delicious Mediterranean meal. Soaking the ground sumac in warm water for 10 minutes really extracts all of the citrus and tartness of the spice and infuses the salad with great flavour.

Ingredients
- Dressing
- 4 tsp ground sumac soaked in 4 teaspoons warm water for 10 minutes
- 1 juice of one lemon
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp dried mint
- 3/4 extra virgin olive oil
- fine sea salt
- Salad
- 2-3 thin pita breads, halved, tossed with olive oil, zaatar and toasted until golden brown
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped or 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 English hothouse cucumber quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced
- 4-5 cups romaine lettuce trimmed, cut crosswise into thin strips
- 2 cups flat leaf parsley leaves
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- Ground sumac, optional
- 5 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 4 slices halloumi cheese thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
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For dressing:
Combine sumac with soaking liquid, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses or honey, garlic, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and dried mint in a medium bowl. Gradually add oil, whisking constantly, until well blended. Season with salt; add more lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, and vinegar to taste, if desired.
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In a non stick frying pan, heat one tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Place slices of halloumi and fry on both sides till golden brown.
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For salad:
Mix tomatoes and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing slowly; toss to coat, adding more dressing by tablespoonfuls as needed. Season with salt. Add pita; toss once. Sprinkle sumac over, and halloumi cheese, if desired.