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One learned that the South Indian spice mix podi – a coarse mix of intensely spicy, crudely milled spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a dip for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” blend. It's aptly named if you were using my grandmother’s personally dried peppers, but it would be charitable to say that I’m far less daring 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

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

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 minutes
Serves two people

400g starchy potatoes, chopped into 1.5-inch chunks
Two hundred twenty-five grams paneer, cut into 0.8-inch cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
One teaspoon chilli flakes
One and a half teaspoon flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish
Two garlic pieces, prepared and minced
2½cm piece fresh ginger, skinned and shredded
Forty milliliters 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
0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, diced small
Half a tsp flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for about 10 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 five minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Tip the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds into a pestle and mortar or blender, add the salt, chili flakes, and peppercorns, then pound or blitz to a chunky blend.

Tip into a large mixing bowl with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then lightly combine with the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions to coat. Thread the components on to barbecue sticks, then place on a tray and set aside until needed – if you like, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.

Beat all the ingredients for the dressing in a medium bowl. Turn on the grill to its highest setting, then bake the sticks for five to seven 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 intensity of your oven, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

Offer the grilled sticks immediately, topped with a little more flaky salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.