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One found with joy that the south Indian blend podi – a rubble of searingly hot, crudely milled spices, which you mix with a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” seasoning. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s homemade dried chilies, but it would be generous to say that I’m far less adventurous with chilli, so here I suggest crushed chilies instead. It’s an remarkably tasty marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing

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

Prep 10 min
Cook half an hour
Serves two people

14 ounces starchy potatoes, sliced into four-centimeter chunks
Two hundred twenty-five grams paneer, cut into 2cm cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
One teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish
Two cloves of garlic, peeled and grated
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Forty milliliters flavorless oil
1 red onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges, then sliced across

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

Simmer the potatoes for nine 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 a short while, then remove water and dry gently.

Pour the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a grinding bowl or mill, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then pound or blitz to a rough rubble.

Place in a large mixing bowl with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then carefully mix in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Thread the paneer, potatoes and onions on to barbecue sticks, then transfer to a baking sheet and keep ready – optionally, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers.

Beat all the ingredients for the dressing in a mixing bowl. Turn on the grill to its top temperature, then bake the sticks for 5–7 minutes on each side, until the paneer is golden brown and the potatoes are starting to char. (This may take a little more or less time depending on the fierceness of your grill, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

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