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I was delighted to discover that the South Indian spice mix podi – a coarse mix of fiery, coarsely crushed spices, which you stir into a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” seasoning. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s personally dried peppers, but it would be generous to say that I’m far less adventurous with chilli, so here I suggest crushed chilies instead. It’s an remarkably tasty marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing

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

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Serves two people

Four hundred grams waxy potatoes, sliced into 1.5-inch chunks
8 ounces paneer, cubed into 0.8-inch cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
One and a half teaspoon flaky sea salt, with more for serving
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated
2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
about 3 tablespoons flavorless oil
One red onion, skinned and sliced into eight wedges, then sliced across

For the dressing
Lime zest and juice, freshly prepared
Ten grams fresh mint leaves, minced
½ 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 cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a pestle and mortar or blender, add the seasonings, then mash or process to a rough rubble.

Transfer to a medium-large bowl with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then carefully mix in the ingredients to coat. Arrange the components on to the prepared skewers, then transfer to a baking sheet and reserve for later – optionally, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Whisk all the sauce elements in a mixing bowl. Turn on the grill to its top temperature, then grill the skewers for 5–7 minutes on each side, until the paneer is crispy and the potatoes are getting slightly burnt. (This may take a little more or less time depending on the heat of your broiler, so watch carefully, especially when cooking the first side.)

Offer the grilled sticks immediately, topped with a little more salt and the dressing alongside for dipping.