🔗 Share this article

One found with joy that the South Indian spice mix podi – a rubble of intensely spicy, coarsely crushed spices, which you stir into a little oil and use as a sauce for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” blend. It's aptly named if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, but it would be generous 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 Lime-Mint Dressing

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

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves two people

400g firm potatoes, cut into 4cm chunks
225g paneer, diced into two-centimeter cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
One tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
One teaspoon chilli flakes
1½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish
Two garlic pieces, skinned and shredded
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Forty milliliters mild oil
One red onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges, then halved crossways

For the dressing
Zest and juice from one lime, finely grated
Ten grams fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Half a teaspoon flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes, then remove the water and leave to steam dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a pot of hot water for five minutes, then remove water and dry gently.

Tip the spice seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the seasonings, then mash or process to a chunky blend.

Transfer to a medium-large bowl with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then lightly combine with the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Thread the paneer, potatoes and onions on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then move to a sheet pan and reserve for later – optionally, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Beat all the sauce elements in a container. Heat the grill to its maximum heat, then bake the sticks 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 heat of your broiler, so watch carefully, especially when cooking the first side.)

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