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I found with joy that the traditional Indian spice mix podi – a coarse mix of intensely spicy, roughly ground spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” blend. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, 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 remarkably tasty marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing

You will need six to eight barbecue sticks (if wooden, immerse them in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep 10 min
Cook half an hour
Serves two people

14 ounces firm potatoes, sliced into four-centimeter chunks
225g paneer, cubed into 0.8-inch cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated
2½cm piece fresh ginger, prepared and minced
about 3 tablespoons flavorless oil
One red onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges, then cut in half horizontally

For the dressing
Lime zest and juice, freshly prepared
Ten grams fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
100g natural yoghurt

Simmer the potatoes for nine minutes, then drain them and allow to air dry for a minute. In the interim, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for 5 minutes, then remove water and dry gently.

Pour the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds into a grinding bowl or mill, add the seasonings, then pound or blitz to a coarse mixture.

Place in a medium-large bowl with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then gently stir in the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions to coat. Thread the vegetables and cheese on to barbecue sticks, then place on a tray and reserve for later – if desired, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers.

Beat all the dressing components in a container. Turn on the grill to its maximum heat, then cook the skewers for 5–7 minutes on each side, until the paneer is browned and the potatoes are starting to char. (This may take a variable duration depending on the heat of your broiler, so watch carefully, especially when cooking the first side.)

Offer the grilled sticks immediately, sprinkled with a little more salt and the dressing alongside for dipping.