🔗 Share this article

One found with joy that the south Indian spice mix podi – a rough grind of searingly hot, coarsely crushed spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a accompaniment 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 charitable 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

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

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 minutes
Serves 2

14 ounces firm potatoes, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
Two hundred twenty-five grams paneer, cut into two-centimeter cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
One teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, with more for serving
Two garlic pieces, peeled and grated
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, prepared and minced
about 3 tablespoons flavorless oil
1 red onion, skinned and sliced into eight wedges, then sliced across

For the dressing
Zest and juice from one lime, finely grated
10g fresh mint leaves, minced
Half a teaspoon flaky sea salt
100g natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for nine minutes, then drain them and let them dry from steam for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a pot of hot water for five minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Tip the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds into a pestle and mortar or blender, add the salt, chili flakes, and peppercorns, then pound or blitz to a rough rubble.

Tip into a large mixing bowl with the grated garlic and ginger, add the oil, then carefully mix in the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions to coat. Thread the vegetables and cheese on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then place on a tray and set aside until needed – if desired, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Stir all the sauce elements in a container. Heat the grill to its maximum heat, then cook the skewers for a short time on each side, until the paneer is crispy and the potatoes are beginning to blacken. (This may take a variable duration depending on the fierceness of your grill, so watch carefully, especially when cooking the first side.)

Serve the skewers hot, sprinkled with a little more salt and the dressing alongside for dipping.