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One was delighted to discover that the south Indian blend podi – a rubble of searingly hot, roughly ground spices, which you combine 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 personally dried peppers, but it would be generous to say that I’m far less bold with chilli, so here I suggest crushed chilies instead. It’s an exceptionally great marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing

Gather six to eight skewers made of metal or wood (if bamboo, soak them in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 min
Serves 2

14 ounces waxy potatoes, chopped into four-centimeter chunks
8 ounces paneer, cubed into 0.8-inch cubes
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
Two garlic cloves, prepared and minced
2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Forty milliliters mild oil
One red onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges, then sliced across

For the dressing
Zest and juice from one lime, finely grated
0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, diced small
Half a teaspoon flaky sea salt
One hundred grams natural yoghurt

Cook the potatoes for 9 minutes, then remove the water and let them dry from steam for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for a short while, then strain and blot dry.

Add the spice seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then pound or blitz to a rough rubble.

Place in a large mixing bowl with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then carefully mix in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Skewer the vegetables and cheese on to the prepared skewers, then place on a tray and keep ready – optionally, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.

Beat all the dressing components in a mixing bowl. Preheat the broiler to its highest setting, then bake the sticks for a short time on each side, until the paneer is browned and the potatoes are starting to char. (This may take a little more or less time depending on the intensity of your oven, so keep an eye on them, especially when cooking the first side.)

Offer the grilled sticks immediately, sprinkled with a little more sea salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.