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One learned that the South Indian spice mix podi – a rubble 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” spice mix. It's aptly named if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, but it would be charitable to say that I’m far less daring with chilli, so here I suggest chilli flakes instead. It’s an exceptionally great marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Lime-Mint Dressing

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

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Serves two people

Four hundred grams firm potatoes, chopped into 1.5-inch chunks
225g paneer, cut into 2cm cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
One teaspoon cumin seeds
One tsp black peppercorns
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
2 garlic pieces, prepared and minced
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, prepared and minced
40ml mild oil
1 red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then cut in half horizontally

For the dressing
Zest and juice from one lime, finely grated
10g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
½ tsp flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for 9 minutes, then drain them and leave to steam dry for a minute. In the interim, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Add the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then pound or blitz to a coarse mixture.

Tip into a sizable container with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then carefully mix in the ingredients to coat. Skewer the vegetables and cheese on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then place on a tray and set aside until needed – if you like, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.

Beat all the ingredients for the dressing in a medium bowl. Heat the grill to its top temperature, then bake the sticks for a short time on each side, until the paneer is golden brown and the potatoes are starting to char. (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, scattered with a little more salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.