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One found with joy that the South Indian seasoning podi – a rough grind of intensely spicy, coarsely crushed spices, which you mix with a little oil and use as a sauce for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” seasoning. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, but it would be charitable to say that I’m far less bold with chilli, so here I suggest red pepper flakes instead. It’s an extraordinarily good marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing

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

Prep 10 min
Cook half an hour
Serves a couple

14 ounces firm potatoes, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
Two hundred twenty-five grams paneer, cubed into two-centimeter cubes
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
One teaspoon cumin seeds
One teaspoon black peppercorns
One tsp chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, with more for serving
2 garlic cloves, prepared and minced
2½cm piece fresh ginger, prepared and minced
40ml flavorless oil
1 red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then sliced across

For the dressing
Lime zest and juice, freshly prepared
Ten grams fresh mint leaves, minced
Half a teaspoon flaky sea salt
One hundred grams natural yoghurt

Simmer the potatoes for about 10 minutes, then drain them and let them dry from steam for a minute. At the same time, put the paneer cubes in a pot of hot water for five minutes, then strain and blot dry.

Pour the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds into a grinding bowl or mill, add the salt, chili flakes, and peppercorns, then pound or blitz to a chunky blend.

Transfer to a medium-large bowl with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then gently stir in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Arrange the vegetables and cheese on to the prepared skewers, then transfer to a baking sheet and keep ready – optionally, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.

Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing in a medium bowl. Turn on the grill to its maximum heat, 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.)

Present the skewers warm, sprinkled with a little more flaky salt and the dressing alongside for dipping.