Cypriot trahanas soup with halloumi (Trahanas)

1. Put the trahanas (dried Cypriot crumbles of yoghurt and wheat) in a bowl and soak in a cupful of the cold stock for 15 minutes to soften.

2. Bring the rest of the stock to the boil in a pan.

3. Add the soaked trahanas with its liquid and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, for 12-15 minutes until the soup thickens to a creamy consistency (if too thick, thin it with a little hot water).

4. Meanwhile cut the halloumi into 1 cm cubes.

5. Take the soup off the heat, stir in the butter and lemon juice, season with pepper, then add half the halloumi cubes so they soften a little.

6. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with the rest of the halloumi and serve hot with toasted bread.

Tip: Trahanas is made at the end of summer from fermented sheep's milk and cracked wheat, and in winter it's the Cypriots' favourite breakfast or get-well soup; if you can't find it, small egg barley (tarhonya) with 150 g yoghurt stirred in at the end gives a similar pleasantly tangy flavour.