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One found with joy that the traditional Indian blend podi – a rubble of searingly hot, crudely milled spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” seasoning. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, but it would be charitable to say that I’m far less adventurous with chilli, so here I suggest crushed chilies instead. It’s an remarkably tasty marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Spicy 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

400g starchy potatoes, chopped into 1.5-inch chunks
8 ounces paneer, diced into two-centimeter cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
One tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
One tsp chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, with more for serving
2 garlic cloves, prepared and minced
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Forty milliliters mild oil
1 red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then sliced across

For the dressing
Zest and juice from one lime, finely grated
0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, diced small
Half a tsp flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Simmer the potatoes for nine minutes, then remove the water and allow to air dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for five minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Add the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a pestle and mortar or blender, add the seasonings, then pound or blitz to a coarse mixture.

Transfer to a medium-large bowl with the grated garlic and ginger, add the oil, then gently stir in the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions to coat. Arrange the vegetables and cheese on to barbecue sticks, then place on a tray and keep ready – if desired, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers.

Stir all the ingredients for the dressing in a container. Preheat the broiler to its top temperature, then grill 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 little more or less time depending on the heat of your broiler, so keep an eye on them, especially when cooking the first side.)

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