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One was delighted to discover that the traditional Indian blend podi – a rubble of searingly hot, roughly ground spices, which you stir into a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” blend. That’s not a misnomer if you were using my grandmother’s personally dried peppers, but it would be generous to say that I’m far less daring with chilli, so here I suggest red pepper flakes instead. It’s an extraordinarily good marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing

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

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves two people

400g waxy potatoes, sliced into four-centimeter chunks
225g paneer, diced into 0.8-inch cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
One tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish
2 garlic cloves, prepared and minced
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Forty milliliters mild oil
1 red onion, skinned and sliced into eight wedges, then sliced across

For the dressing
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Half a tsp flaky sea salt
One hundred grams natural yoghurt

Cook the potatoes for 9 minutes, then remove the water and leave to steam dry for a minute. At the same time, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for five minutes, then drain and pat dry.

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

Place in a medium-large bowl with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then lightly combine with the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions to coat. Skewer the vegetables and cheese on to barbecue sticks, then move to a sheet pan and set aside until needed – if you like, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Stir all the ingredients for the dressing in a container. Preheat the broiler to its highest setting, then grill the skewers for a short time on each side, until the paneer is browned and the potatoes are starting to char. (This may take a different amount of time depending on the intensity of your oven, so keep an eye on them, 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.