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One learned that the traditional Indian seasoning podi – a rough grind of fiery, coarsely crushed spices, which you stir into a little oil and use as a dip for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” spice mix. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s personally dried peppers, but it would be charitable to say that I’m far less daring with chilli, so here I suggest crushed chilies instead. It’s an remarkably tasty marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing

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

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves a couple

14 ounces starchy potatoes, chopped into 1.5-inch chunks
8 ounces paneer, diced into two-centimeter cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
One tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish
2 garlic pieces, prepared and minced
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, skinned and shredded
40ml neutral oil
1 red onion, skinned and sliced into eight wedges, then sliced across

For the dressing
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
Ten grams fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Half a tsp flaky sea salt
100g natural yoghurt

Cook the potatoes for nine minutes, then remove the water and leave to steam dry for a minute. In the interim, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for a short while, then drain and pat dry.

Pour the spice seeds into a grinding bowl or mill, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then mash or process to a rough rubble.

Place in a large mixing bowl with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then gently stir in the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions 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 set aside until needed – if desired, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers.

Stir all the sauce elements in a container. Preheat the broiler to its maximum heat, then grill the skewers for a short time on each side, until the paneer is crispy and the potatoes are beginning to blacken. (This may take a little more or less time depending on the intensity of your oven, so watch carefully, especially when cooking the first side.)

Present the skewers warm, sprinkled with a little more flaky salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.