🔗 Share this article

I was delighted to discover that the south Indian seasoning podi – a coarse mix of searingly hot, crudely milled spices, which you mix 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 homemade dried chilies, but it would be generous to say that I’m far less bold with chilli, so here I suggest chilli 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 skewers made of metal or wood (if made of wood, soak them in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 minutes
Serves a couple

400g firm potatoes, cut into 4cm chunks
225g paneer, cubed into 0.8-inch cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
Half a teaspoon fennel seeds
One tsp cumin seeds
One tsp black peppercorns
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, with more for serving
2 cloves of garlic, prepared and minced
2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Forty milliliters mild oil
One red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then halved crossways

For the dressing
Zest and juice from one lime, finely grated
0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
½ tsp flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for 9 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 five minutes, then strain and blot dry.

Tip the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then crush or grind to a chunky blend.

Place in a sizable container 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 six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then transfer to a baking sheet and reserve for later – optionally, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Beat all the sauce elements in a container. Heat the grill to its maximum heat, then grill the skewers for five to seven minutes on each side, until the paneer is crispy and the potatoes are beginning to blacken. (This may take a variable duration depending on the heat of your broiler, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

Present the skewers warm, sprinkled with a little more salt and the sauce on the side for serving.