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I was delighted to discover that the traditional Indian blend podi – a coarse mix of searingly hot, coarsely crushed spices, which you stir into a little oil and use as a sauce for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” seasoning. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s personally dried peppers, but it would be kind to say that I’m far less bold with chilli, so here I suggest red pepper flakes instead. It’s an exceptionally great marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Lime-Mint Dressing

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

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 minutes
Serves two people

14 ounces waxy potatoes, chopped into 4cm chunks
8 ounces paneer, cut into 0.8-inch cubes
One teaspoon coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
One tsp chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish
2 cloves of garlic, skinned and shredded
2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
40ml mild oil
One red onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges, then halved crossways

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

Simmer the potatoes for about 10 minutes, then drain them and let them dry from steam for a minute. In the interim, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for a short while, then strain and blot dry.

Pour the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a grinding bowl or mill, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then crush or grind to a coarse mixture.

Tip into a sizable container with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then lightly combine with the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Skewer the components on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then move to a sheet pan and set aside until needed – optionally, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.

Stir all the ingredients for the dressing in a medium bowl. Heat the grill to its highest setting, then cook the skewers for five to seven minutes 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 fierceness of your grill, so keep an eye on them, especially when cooking the first side.)

Serve the skewers hot, scattered with a little more sea salt and the sauce on the side for serving.