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I learned that the south Indian seasoning podi – a coarse mix of searingly hot, roughly ground spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a sauce for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” seasoning. 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 adventurous with chilli, so here I suggest red pepper flakes instead. It’s an extraordinarily good marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Lime-Mint Dressing

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

Prep 10 min
Cook half an hour
Serves two people

400g firm potatoes, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
Two hundred twenty-five grams paneer, cut into 0.8-inch cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
One tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
One teaspoon chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
Two cloves of garlic, prepared and minced
2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Forty milliliters mild oil
One red onion, skinned and sliced into eight wedges, then sliced across

For the dressing
Lime zest and juice, freshly prepared
10g fresh mint leaves, diced small
½ tsp flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for 9 minutes, then pour off the liquid and let them dry from steam for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for 5 minutes, then strain and blot dry.

Pour 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 rough rubble.

Transfer to a medium-large bowl with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then carefully mix in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Skewer the paneer, potatoes and onions on to the prepared skewers, then transfer to a baking sheet and set aside until needed – if you like, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.

Stir all the sauce elements in a medium bowl. Preheat the broiler to its highest setting, then bake the sticks for a short time 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 monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

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