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One learned that the south Indian seasoning podi – a coarse mix of searingly hot, crudely milled spices, which you stir into a little oil and use as a dip for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” blend. 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 extraordinarily good marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing

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

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 2

400g waxy potatoes, sliced into four-centimeter chunks
Two hundred twenty-five grams paneer, cubed into two-centimeter cubes
One teaspoon coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
One tsp black peppercorns
One tsp chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
Two garlic pieces, skinned and shredded
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, skinned and shredded
40ml neutral oil
One red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then halved crossways

For the dressing
Zest and juice from one lime, finely grated
10g fresh mint leaves, diced small
Half a teaspoon flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes, then remove the water and leave to steam dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Pour the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the salt, chili flakes, and peppercorns, then mash or process to a coarse mixture.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then carefully mix in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Skewer the components on to barbecue sticks, then transfer to a baking sheet and keep ready – if desired, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Beat all the ingredients for the dressing in a container. Preheat the broiler to its maximum heat, then cook the skewers for five to seven minutes on each side, until the paneer is browned and the potatoes are beginning to blacken. (This may take a variable duration depending on the heat of your broiler, so keep an eye on them, especially when cooking the first side.)

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