🔗 Share this article

I learned that the traditional Indian blend podi – a rough grind of searingly hot, roughly ground spices, which you mix with a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” seasoning. That’s not a misnomer if you were using my grandmother’s personally dried peppers, but it would be generous to say that I’m far less adventurous with chilli, so here I suggest crushed chilies instead. It’s an exceptionally great marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing

You will need six to eight metal or wooden skewers (if wooden, soak them in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 min
Serves a couple

14 ounces firm potatoes, sliced into four-centimeter chunks
8 ounces paneer, cut into 0.8-inch cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
One and a half teaspoon flaky sea salt, with more for serving
Two garlic cloves, peeled and grated
2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Forty milliliters flavorless oil
One red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then halved crossways

For the dressing
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
Ten grams fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
½ tsp flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for nine minutes, then drain them and allow to air dry for a minute. At the same time, 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 grinding bowl or mill, add the seasonings, then pound or blitz to a rough rubble.

Transfer to a sizable container with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then carefully mix in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Thread the vegetables and cheese on to barbecue sticks, then transfer to a baking sheet and reserve for later – if desired, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers.

Stir all the dressing components in a mixing bowl. Preheat the broiler to its highest setting, then cook the skewers for 5–7 minutes on each side, until the paneer is golden brown and the potatoes are getting slightly burnt. (This may take a different amount of time depending on the fierceness of your grill, so keep an eye on them, especially when cooking the first side.)

Offer the grilled sticks immediately, scattered with a little more sea salt and the sauce on the side for serving.