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One was delighted to discover that the South Indian blend podi – a rough grind of intensely spicy, coarsely crushed 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 generous 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 Citrus-Mint Dressing

Prepare six to eight barbecue sticks (if bamboo, let them sit in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep a quick 10 minutes
Cook half an hour
Serves two people

400g firm potatoes, chopped into 4cm chunks
225g paneer, cut into two-centimeter cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
One teaspoon cumin seeds
One tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
1½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
Two garlic cloves, peeled and grated
2½cm piece fresh ginger, skinned and shredded
about 3 tablespoons neutral oil
One red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then cut in half horizontally

For the dressing
Lime zest and juice, freshly prepared
Ten grams fresh mint leaves, minced
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for nine minutes, then drain them and leave to steam dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for a short while, then strain and blot dry.

Pour the spice seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the salt, chili flakes, and peppercorns, then mash or process to a coarse mixture.

Place in a large mixing bowl with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then carefully mix in 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 keep ready – if desired, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers.

Stir all the sauce elements in a medium bowl. Preheat the broiler to its highest setting, then bake the sticks for 5–7 minutes on each side, until the paneer is crispy and the potatoes are getting slightly burnt. (This may take a variable duration depending on the fierceness of your grill, so keep an eye on them, especially when cooking the first side.)

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