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I was delighted to discover that the South Indian blend podi – a coarse mix of intensely spicy, coarsely crushed spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” spice mix. It's aptly named if you were using my grandmother’s homemade dried chilies, but it would be kind to say that I’m far less adventurous with chilli, so here I suggest red pepper flakes 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 barbecue sticks (if bamboo, let them sit in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Serves 2

Four hundred grams waxy potatoes, cut into four-centimeter chunks
8 ounces paneer, diced into 2cm cubes
One teaspoon coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
One tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
2 cloves of garlic, prepared and minced
2½cm piece fresh ginger, skinned and shredded
Forty milliliters neutral oil
1 red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then halved crossways

For the dressing
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
10g fresh mint leaves, diced small
½ tsp flaky sea salt
100g natural yoghurt

Cook the potatoes for nine minutes, then remove the water and let them dry from steam for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for five minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Tip the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a grinding bowl or mill, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then crush or grind to a coarse mixture.

Tip into a large mixing bowl with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then gently stir in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Arrange the vegetables and cheese on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then move to a sheet pan and reserve for later – if desired, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.

Stir all the sauce elements in a mixing bowl. Preheat the broiler to its top temperature, then bake the sticks for a short time on each side, until the paneer is crispy and the potatoes are starting to char. (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, topped with a little more sea salt and the dressing alongside for dipping.