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One learned that the South Indian seasoning podi – a rubble of searingly hot, coarsely crushed spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a dip for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” spice mix. That’s not a misnomer if you were using my grandmother’s personally dried peppers, but it would be kind to say that I’m far less daring with chilli, so here I suggest red pepper 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 metal or wooden skewers (if bamboo, immerse them in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Serves two people

14 ounces waxy potatoes, sliced into four-centimeter chunks
Two hundred twenty-five grams paneer, diced into 0.8-inch cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
One tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
One teaspoon chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
Two garlic cloves, skinned and shredded
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, skinned and shredded
about 3 tablespoons neutral 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 tsp flaky sea salt
100g natural yoghurt

Cook the potatoes for 9 minutes, then remove the water and leave to steam dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for five minutes, then strain and blot dry.

Tip the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds into a pestle and mortar or blender, 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. Arrange the components on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then transfer to a baking sheet and keep ready – if you like, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Stir all the dressing components in a medium bowl. Heat the grill to its maximum heat, then grill the skewers for a short time on each side, until the paneer is crispy and the potatoes are getting slightly burnt. (This may take a different amount of time depending on the heat of your broiler, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

Present the skewers warm, sprinkled with a little more salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.