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One was delighted to discover that the South Indian spice mix podi – a rough grind of intensely spicy, roughly ground spices, which you stir into a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” seasoning. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s personally dried peppers, but it would be generous to say that I’m far less daring with chilli, so here I suggest chilli flakes instead. It’s an remarkably tasty marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing

You will need 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

Four hundred grams starchy potatoes, chopped into 4cm chunks
225g paneer, diced into two-centimeter cubes
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
One tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
One tsp chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
2 garlic pieces, skinned and shredded
1-inch piece fresh ginger, prepared and minced
Forty milliliters mild oil
One red onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges, then cut in half horizontally

For the dressing
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
10g fresh mint leaves, diced small
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Simmer the potatoes for 9 minutes, then pour off the liquid and leave to steam dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a pot of hot water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Pour the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the seasonings, then mash or process to a chunky blend.

Place in a sizable container with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then carefully mix in the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions to coat. Thread the vegetables and cheese on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then move to a sheet pan and keep ready – if desired, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.

Stir all the sauce elements in a container. Heat the grill to its highest setting, then bake the sticks for 5–7 minutes on each side, until the paneer is browned and the potatoes are beginning to blacken. (This may take a variable duration depending on the intensity of your oven, so watch carefully, especially when cooking the first side.)

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