🔗 Share this article

One learned that the south Indian seasoning podi – a rubble of intensely spicy, coarsely crushed spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” seasoning. That’s not a misnomer if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, but it would be charitable to say that I’m far less bold with chilli, so here I suggest red pepper flakes instead. It’s an extraordinarily good marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing

Gather six to eight barbecue sticks (if bamboo, soak them in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 min
Serves a couple

14 ounces starchy potatoes, chopped into four-centimeter chunks
Two hundred twenty-five grams paneer, cut into 0.8-inch cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
One tsp cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
One teaspoon chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
2 garlic pieces, peeled and grated
1-inch piece fresh ginger, skinned and shredded
about 3 tablespoons flavorless oil
One red onion, skinned and sliced into eight wedges, then cut in half horizontally

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

Boil the potatoes for about 10 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 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

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

Place in a sizable container with the grated garlic and ginger, add the oil, then carefully mix in the ingredients to coat. Arrange the components on to barbecue sticks, then transfer to a baking sheet and set aside until needed – optionally, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Stir all the ingredients for the dressing in a container. Heat the grill to its highest setting, then cook the skewers for five to seven minutes on each side, until the paneer is crispy and the potatoes are getting slightly burnt. (This may take a little more or less time depending on the fierceness of your grill, so keep an eye on them, especially when cooking the first side.)

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