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One found with joy that the south Indian seasoning podi – a rubble of searingly hot, coarsely crushed spices, which you mix with a little oil and use as a sauce for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” blend. That’s not a misnomer if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, 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 exceptionally great marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Lime-Mint Dressing

Prepare six to eight barbecue sticks (if wooden, let them sit in water for 10 minutes first).

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

Four hundred grams starchy potatoes, chopped into four-centimeter chunks
225g paneer, diced into 2cm cubes
One teaspoon coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
One tsp black peppercorns
One teaspoon chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
Two garlic cloves, peeled and grated
2½cm piece fresh ginger, prepared and minced
Forty milliliters mild oil
1 red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then sliced across

For the dressing
Lime zest and juice, freshly prepared
0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, minced
Half a teaspoon flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for nine minutes, then pour off the liquid and let them dry from steam for a minute. At the same time, put the paneer cubes in a pot of hot water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

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

Tip into a large mixing bowl with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then carefully mix in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Skewer the components on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then place on a tray and set aside until needed – optionally, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.

Whisk all the sauce elements in a mixing bowl. Turn on the grill to its top temperature, then cook the skewers for 5–7 minutes on each side, until the paneer is golden brown and the potatoes are starting to char. (This may take a little more or less time depending on the fierceness of your grill, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

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