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I found with joy that the traditional Indian seasoning podi – a coarse mix of searingly hot, roughly ground spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” blend. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, but it would be generous to say that I’m far less bold 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 Mint-Lime Dressing

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

Prep a quick 10 minutes
Cook half an hour
Serves a couple

Four hundred grams waxy potatoes, chopped into four-centimeter chunks
8 ounces paneer, cubed into two-centimeter cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
One tsp chilli flakes
One and a half teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
2 garlic pieces, peeled and grated
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
about 3 tablespoons neutral oil
One red onion, skinned and sliced into eight wedges, then halved crossways

For the dressing
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Half a teaspoon flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Simmer the potatoes for 9 minutes, then drain them and allow to air dry for a minute. In the interim, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for five minutes, then strain and blot dry.

Tip the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then mash or process to a rough rubble.

Transfer to a medium-large 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 the prepared skewers, then move to a sheet pan and set aside until needed – if desired, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers.

Whisk all the dressing components in a mixing 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 beginning to blacken. (This may take a variable duration depending on the intensity of your oven, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

Serve the skewers hot, scattered with a little more flaky salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.