This Quick and Effortless Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing – Cooking Guide

One was delighted to discover that the South Indian seasoning podi – a rubble of intensely spicy, roughly ground spices, which you stir into 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 crushed chilies instead. It’s an remarkably tasty marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing

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

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 minutes
Serves 2

Four hundred grams firm potatoes, chopped into four-centimeter chunks
225g paneer, cubed into two-centimeter cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
One teaspoon cumin seeds
One tsp black peppercorns
One tsp chilli flakes
1½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, with more for serving
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated
2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
40ml neutral oil
One red onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges, then cut in half horizontally

For the dressing
Zest and juice from one lime, finely grated
0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
½ tsp flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes, then pour off the liquid and allow to air dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for a short while, then strain and blot dry.

Add the spice seeds into a pestle and mortar or blender, add the salt, chili flakes, and peppercorns, then mash or process to a chunky blend.

Place in a medium-large bowl with the grated garlic and ginger, add the oil, then carefully mix in the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions to coat. Skewer the components on to barbecue sticks, then transfer to a baking sheet and keep ready – if you like, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers.

Whisk all the sauce elements in a medium bowl. Turn on the grill to its top temperature, then grill the skewers for five to seven minutes on each side, until the paneer is browned and the potatoes are beginning to blacken. (This may take a different amount of time depending on the fierceness of your grill, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

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