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One was delighted to discover that the South Indian seasoning podi – a coarse mix of intensely spicy, crudely milled spices, which you stir into a little oil and use as a sauce for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” spice mix. 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 adventurous with chilli, so here I suggest chilli flakes instead. It’s an extraordinarily good marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Lime-Mint Dressing

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

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 2

400g firm potatoes, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
8 ounces paneer, cubed into 2cm cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish
2 garlic cloves, prepared and minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
40ml mild oil
One red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then sliced across

For the dressing
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
10g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Half a tsp flaky sea salt
One hundred grams natural yoghurt

Simmer the potatoes for 9 minutes, then drain them and let them dry from steam for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for five minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Add the spice seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the seasonings, then pound or blitz to a rough rubble.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then lightly combine with the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions to coat. Thread the vegetables and cheese on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then place on a tray 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. Heat the grill to its highest setting, then bake the sticks for a short time on each side, until the paneer is crispy and the potatoes are beginning to blacken. (This may take a variable duration depending on the intensity of your oven, so keep an eye on them, especially when cooking the first side.)

Present the skewers warm, scattered with a little more flaky salt and the sauce on the side for serving.