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I was delighted to discover that the South Indian blend podi – a rough grind of intensely spicy, crudely milled spices, which you mix with 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 homemade dried chilies, 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 remarkably tasty marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing

Gather six to eight barbecue sticks (if wooden, let them sit in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 min
Serves two people

14 ounces firm potatoes, sliced into 4cm chunks
8 ounces paneer, cut into 2cm cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
One teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
One and a half teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
2 garlic pieces, skinned and shredded
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 cut in half horizontally

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

Boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes, then pour off the liquid and let them dry from steam for a minute. At the same time, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for a short while, then strain and blot dry.

Add the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the seasonings, then crush or grind to a chunky blend.

Tip into a sizable container with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then gently stir in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Arrange the vegetables and cheese on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then move to a sheet pan and keep ready – if you like, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers.

Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing in a mixing bowl. Heat the grill to its top temperature, then bake the sticks for a short time on each side, until the paneer is golden brown and the potatoes are getting slightly burnt. (This may take a variable duration depending on the intensity of your oven, so watch carefully, especially when cooking the first side.)

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