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One was delighted to discover that the South Indian blend podi – a coarse mix of searingly hot, crudely milled spices, which you mix with a little oil and use as a sauce for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” blend. 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 chilli flakes instead. It’s an exceptionally great 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 made of wood, immerse them in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep a quick 10 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Serves two people

14 ounces starchy potatoes, chopped into four-centimeter chunks
8 ounces paneer, cut into two-centimeter cubes
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
One teaspoon chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
Two garlic pieces, prepared and minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, prepared and minced
Forty milliliters flavorless oil
1 red onion, skinned and sliced into eight wedges, then sliced across

For the dressing
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
Ten grams fresh mint leaves, diced small
Half a tsp flaky sea salt
One hundred grams natural yoghurt

Simmer the potatoes for about 10 minutes, then drain them and allow to air dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for five minutes, then remove water and dry gently.

Tip the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the salt, chili flakes, and peppercorns, then crush or grind to a chunky blend.

Place in a large mixing bowl 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 components on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then move to a sheet pan and keep ready – if you like, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers.

Beat all the dressing components in a container. Preheat the broiler to its highest setting, 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 different amount of time depending on the heat of your broiler, so keep an eye on them, especially when cooking the first side.)

Offer the grilled sticks immediately, scattered with a little more flaky salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.