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One learned that the South Indian blend podi – a coarse mix of searingly hot, roughly ground spices, which you stir into 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 personally dried peppers, but it would be charitable to say that I’m far less bold with chilli, so here I suggest chilli flakes instead. It’s an extraordinarily good marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing

Gather six to eight skewers made of metal or wood (if wooden, let them sit in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep 10 min
Cook half an hour
Serves 2

Four hundred grams firm potatoes, chopped into 1.5-inch chunks
225g paneer, cut into two-centimeter cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
One teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish
Two cloves of garlic, prepared and minced
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Forty milliliters neutral oil
One red onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges, then halved crossways

For the dressing
Zest and juice from one lime, finely grated
Ten grams fresh mint leaves, diced small
½ tsp flaky sea salt
One hundred grams natural yoghurt

Cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes, then remove the water and allow to air dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for five minutes, then strain and blot dry.

Tip the spice seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then pound or blitz to a coarse mixture.

Tip into a sizable container with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then carefully mix in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Skewer the paneer, potatoes and onions on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then move to a sheet pan and reserve for later – if you like, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Beat all the sauce elements in a container. Preheat the broiler to its top temperature, then grill the skewers for five to seven minutes on each side, until the paneer is golden brown and the potatoes are beginning to blacken. (This may take a variable duration depending on the heat of your broiler, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

Serve the skewers hot, topped with a little more flaky salt and the dressing alongside for dipping.