This Speedy and Effortless Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing – Recipe

One was delighted to discover that the traditional Indian spice mix podi – a rough grind of intensely spicy, 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. It's aptly named if you were using my grandmother’s personally dried peppers, 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.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing

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

Prep a quick 10 minutes
Cook half an hour
Serves a couple

Four hundred grams starchy potatoes, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
225g paneer, cut into 0.8-inch cubes
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
One tsp cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
One tsp chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
2 cloves of garlic, skinned and shredded
1-inch piece fresh ginger, skinned and shredded
about 3 tablespoons flavorless oil
1 red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then sliced across

For the dressing
Zest and juice from one lime, finely grated
10g fresh mint leaves, minced
½ tsp flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Boil the potatoes for 9 minutes, then drain them and leave to steam dry for a minute. In the interim, put the paneer cubes in a pot of hot water for a short while, then drain and pat dry.

Tip the spice seeds into a grinding bowl or mill, add the seasonings, then pound or blitz to a chunky blend.

Place in a sizable container with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then carefully mix 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 reserve for later – if desired, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Stir all the ingredients for the dressing in a mixing bowl. Heat the grill to its highest setting, then cook the skewers for a short time on each side, until the paneer is crispy and the potatoes are getting slightly burnt. (This may take a variable duration depending on the intensity of your oven, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

Serve the skewers hot, sprinkled with a little more flaky salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.