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I learned that the south Indian blend podi – a rubble of intensely spicy, crudely milled spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a sauce for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” spice mix. 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 adventurous with chilli, so here I suggest crushed chilies instead. It’s an remarkably tasty marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing

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

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 minutes
Serves 2

400g firm potatoes, sliced into 1.5-inch chunks
225g paneer, diced into 2cm cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
One tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
One tsp chilli flakes
1½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
Two garlic pieces, skinned and shredded
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Forty milliliters mild oil
One red onion, skinned and sliced into eight wedges, then halved crossways

For the dressing
Lime zest and juice, freshly prepared
0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, minced
½ tsp flaky sea salt
100g natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for nine minutes, then drain them and leave to steam dry for a minute. At the same time, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Pour 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.

Place in a sizable container with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then lightly combine with the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Arrange the paneer, potatoes and onions on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then place on a tray and keep ready – if you like, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers.

Stir all the dressing components 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 starting to char. (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 flaky salt and the dressing alongside for dipping.