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One was delighted to discover that the traditional Indian spice mix podi – a rough grind of intensely spicy, coarsely crushed spices, which you stir into a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” seasoning. It's aptly named if you were using my grandmother’s personally dried peppers, but it would be charitable to say that I’m far less daring with chilli, so here I suggest crushed chilies instead. It’s an exceptionally great marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing

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

Prep 10 minutes
Cook half an hour
Serves two people

Four hundred grams firm potatoes, chopped into four-centimeter chunks
8 ounces paneer, cubed into two-centimeter cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
One teaspoon cumin seeds
One tsp black peppercorns
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
One and a half teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
2 cloves of garlic, skinned and shredded
2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
40ml flavorless oil
1 red onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges, then sliced across

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

Cook the potatoes for nine minutes, then drain them and leave to steam dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for 5 minutes, then strain and blot dry.

Add the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds into a grinding bowl or mill, add the salt, chili flakes, and peppercorns, then mash or process to a rough rubble.

Tip into a medium-large bowl with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then gently stir in the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions to coat. Thread the paneer, potatoes and onions on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then transfer to a baking sheet and reserve for later – if desired, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.

Stir all the dressing components in a medium bowl. Turn on the grill to its highest setting, then cook the skewers for a short time on each side, until the paneer is golden brown and the potatoes are beginning to blacken. (This may take a different amount of time depending on the heat of your broiler, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

Serve the skewers hot, scattered with a little more flaky salt and the sauce on the side for serving.