Haloumi is a very firm cheese found in Cyprus, Greece and Turkey, and it has a habit of making your teeth stand on edge if you eat a piece that’s too thick – it’s almost as though you’re eating firm rubber! But, fear not, once you grill or fry it, it’s delicious. My friends Tarik and Savas, who own changa restaurant in Istanbul, always soak slices of it in water before cooking it – which softens it and gives it a more mozzarella-like texture.

If you have problems sourcing water ches