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I learned that the traditional Indian spice mix podi – a coarse mix of intensely spicy, coarsely crushed spices, which you mix with a little oil and use as a sauce for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” spice mix. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, but it would be kind 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.

Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing

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

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 minutes
Serves two people

14 ounces waxy potatoes, sliced into 4cm chunks
225g paneer, diced into 0.8-inch cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
One teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
One teaspoon chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
Two garlic cloves, prepared and minced
2½cm 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
0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, diced small
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
One hundred grams natural yoghurt

Simmer the potatoes for 9 minutes, then pour off the liquid and allow to air dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for 5 minutes, then remove water and dry gently.

Add the spice seeds into a pestle and mortar or blender, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then crush or grind to a coarse mixture.

Tip into a large mixing bowl with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then carefully mix in the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions to coat. Arrange the components on to barbecue sticks, then place on a tray and keep ready – if you like, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.

Beat all the sauce elements in a medium bowl. Preheat the broiler to its highest setting, then bake the sticks for five to seven minutes on each side, until the paneer is golden brown and the potatoes are starting to char. (This may take a variable duration depending on the fierceness of your grill, so watch carefully, especially when cooking the first side.)

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