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One found with joy that the South Indian seasoning podi – a rough grind of intensely spicy, coarsely crushed spices, which you mix with a little oil and use as a sauce for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” seasoning. That’s not a misnomer if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, but it would be generous to say that I’m far less adventurous with chilli, so here I suggest crushed chilies instead. It’s an exceptionally great marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing

You will need six to eight metal or wooden skewers (if bamboo, soak them in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 2

14 ounces firm potatoes, sliced into 4cm chunks
8 ounces paneer, cubed into 0.8-inch cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
One tsp chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish
Two cloves of garlic, skinned and shredded
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
40ml neutral oil
One red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then sliced across

For the dressing
Lime zest and juice, freshly prepared
0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, diced small
½ tsp flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for nine minutes, then pour off the liquid and allow to air dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for a short while, then remove water and dry gently.

Add the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a grinding bowl or mill, add the seasonings, then pound or blitz to a chunky blend.

Place in a large mixing bowl with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then carefully mix in the ingredients to coat. Thread the paneer, potatoes and onions on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then transfer to a baking sheet and reserve for later – if desired, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.

Stir all the sauce elements in a container. Heat the grill to its highest setting, then bake the sticks for a short time on each side, until the paneer is browned and the potatoes are getting slightly burnt. (This may take a little more or less time depending on the intensity of your oven, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

Serve the skewers hot, topped with a little more sea salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.