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One found with joy that the traditional Indian blend podi – a rough grind of searingly hot, roughly ground spices, which you stir into a little oil and use as a sauce for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” seasoning. This is accurate 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 crushed chilies 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 skewers made of metal or wood (if wooden, immerse them in water for 10 minutes first).

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

14 ounces waxy potatoes, cut into four-centimeter chunks
8 ounces paneer, cut into two-centimeter cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish
2 cloves of garlic, prepared and minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Forty milliliters 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
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for nine minutes, then pour off the liquid and allow to air dry for a minute. At the same time, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for 5 minutes, then strain and blot dry.

Pour the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds into a pestle and mortar or blender, add the seasonings, then mash or process to a coarse mixture.

Transfer to a sizable container with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then carefully mix in the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions to coat. Skewer the vegetables and cheese on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then transfer to a baking sheet and set aside until needed – if desired, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Beat all the dressing components in a medium bowl. Preheat the broiler to its highest setting, then cook the skewers for a short time on each side, until the paneer is browned and the potatoes are beginning to blacken. (This may take a variable duration depending on the heat of your broiler, so watch carefully, especially when cooking the first side.)

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