Rukmini Iyer's Quick and Effortless Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing – Recipe

One was delighted to discover that the traditional Indian blend podi – a coarse mix of fiery, crudely milled spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a dip for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” spice mix. It's aptly named if you were using my grandmother’s homemade dried chilies, but it would be generous to say that I’m far less bold with chilli, so here I suggest red pepper flakes instead. It’s an exceptionally great marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing

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

Prep 10 minutes
Cook half an hour
Serves 2

400g waxy potatoes, chopped into four-centimeter chunks
225g paneer, diced into 0.8-inch cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
Half a tsp fennel seeds
One teaspoon cumin seeds
One tsp black peppercorns
One tsp chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, with more for serving
Two cloves of garlic, skinned and shredded
2½cm piece fresh ginger, skinned and shredded
Forty milliliters mild oil
One red onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges, then cut in half horizontally

For the dressing
Lime zest and juice, freshly prepared
10g fresh mint leaves, minced
Half a teaspoon flaky sea salt
100g natural yoghurt

Cook the potatoes for 9 minutes, then pour off the liquid and leave to steam dry for a minute. In the interim, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for 5 minutes, then remove water and dry gently.

Add the spice seeds into a grinding bowl or mill, add the salt, chili flakes, and peppercorns, then pound or blitz to a chunky blend.

Place in a medium-large bowl with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then carefully mix in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Thread the paneer, potatoes and onions on to the prepared skewers, then transfer to a baking sheet and keep ready – if desired, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Beat all the ingredients for the dressing in a mixing bowl. Turn on the grill to its maximum heat, then bake the sticks for 5–7 minutes on each side, until the paneer is crispy and the potatoes are beginning to blacken. (This may take a variable duration depending on the intensity of your oven, so watch carefully, especially when cooking the first side.)

Present the skewers warm, sprinkled with a little more flaky salt and the dressing alongside for dipping.