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I was delighted to discover 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 sauce 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 kind to say that I’m far less bold with chilli, so here I suggest red pepper flakes instead. It’s an remarkably tasty marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing

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

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 min
Serves a couple

400g starchy potatoes, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
Two hundred twenty-five grams paneer, diced into two-centimeter cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
One tsp cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
One tsp chilli flakes
One and a half teaspoon flaky sea salt, with more for serving
2 garlic pieces, peeled and grated
2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
about 3 tablespoons flavorless oil
One red onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges, then sliced across

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

Simmer the potatoes for about 10 minutes, then pour off the liquid and leave to steam dry for a minute. In the interim, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for a short while, then remove water and dry gently.

Add the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds into a grinding bowl or mill, add the salt, chili flakes, and peppercorns, then mash or process to a coarse mixture.

Transfer to a sizable container with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then gently stir in the ingredients to coat. Skewer the paneer, potatoes and onions on to the prepared skewers, then place on a tray and reserve for later – if you like, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Beat all the ingredients for the dressing in a container. Turn on the grill to its top temperature, then bake the sticks 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 intensity of your oven, so watch carefully, especially when cooking the first side.)

Serve the skewers hot, sprinkled with a little more sea salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.