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I was delighted to discover that the South Indian spice mix podi – a rough grind of intensely spicy, crudely milled spices, which you mix with a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” blend. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s homemade dried chilies, but it would be charitable to say that I’m far less adventurous with chilli, so here I suggest red pepper flakes instead. It’s an exceptionally great 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 wooden, let them sit in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Serves a couple

400g firm potatoes, chopped into four-centimeter chunks
Two hundred twenty-five grams paneer, cut into two-centimeter cubes
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
One teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
One tsp chilli flakes
1½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, with more for serving
2 garlic pieces, skinned and shredded
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
40ml mild oil
1 red onion, skinned and sliced into eight wedges, then cut in half horizontally

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

Cook 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 remove water and dry gently.

Tip the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds into a grinding bowl or mill, add the seasonings, then mash or process to a chunky blend.

Tip into a sizable container with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then gently stir in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Thread the components on to the prepared skewers, then move to a sheet pan and keep ready – if you like, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.

Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing in a medium bowl. Heat the grill to its highest setting, then grill the skewers for five to seven 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 keep an eye on them, especially when cooking the first side.)

Serve the skewers hot, topped with a little more sea salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.