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One learned that the south Indian blend podi – a rubble of intensely spicy, roughly ground spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a dip for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” spice mix. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s homemade dried chilies, but it would be kind to say that I’m far less daring with chilli, so here I suggest crushed chilies instead. It’s an extraordinarily good marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing

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

Prep 10 minutes
Cook half an hour
Serves 2

400g waxy potatoes, chopped into 4cm chunks
8 ounces paneer, cut into two-centimeter cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
One tsp cumin seeds
One tsp black peppercorns
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
2 cloves of garlic, skinned and shredded
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, prepared and minced
about 3 tablespoons mild oil
One red onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges, then cut in half horizontally

For the dressing
Zest and juice from one lime, finely grated
Ten grams fresh mint leaves, diced small
½ tsp flaky sea salt
100g natural yoghurt

Cook the potatoes for 9 minutes, then remove the water and leave to steam dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for five minutes, then remove water and dry gently.

Tip the spice seeds into a pestle and mortar or blender, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then mash or process to a coarse mixture.

Tip into a sizable container with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then gently stir in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Arrange the paneer, potatoes and onions on to barbecue sticks, then move to a sheet pan and reserve for later – optionally, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers.

Stir all the dressing components in a mixing bowl. Turn on the grill to its maximum heat, then bake the sticks for five to seven minutes on each side, until the paneer is golden brown and the potatoes are getting slightly burnt. (This may take a variable duration depending on the intensity of your oven, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

Serve the skewers hot, scattered with a little more flaky salt and the sauce on the side for serving.