🔗 Share this article Rukmini Iyer's Quick and Simple Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Lime-Mint Dressing – Cooking Guide One was delighted to discover that the south Indian spice mix podi – a coarse mix of intensely spicy, coarsely crushed spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a dip for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” seasoning. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, but it would be kind to say that I’m far less adventurous 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 Lime-Mint Dressing Gather six to eight metal or wooden skewers (if wooden, let them sit in water for 10 minutes first). Prep a quick 10 minutes Cook 30 minutes Serves two people Four hundred grams starchy potatoes, chopped into 1.5-inch chunks Two hundred twenty-five grams paneer, cut into 2cm cubes One tsp coriander seeds ½ tsp fennel seeds One tsp cumin seeds One tsp black peppercorns One teaspoon chilli flakes 1½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, with more for serving 2 garlic pieces, peeled and grated 1-inch piece fresh ginger, prepared and minced 40ml mild 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 Ten grams fresh mint leaves, minced ½ tsp flaky sea salt 100g natural yoghurt Boil 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 drain and pat dry. Add the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then crush or grind to a chunky blend. Tip into a large mixing bowl with the grated garlic and ginger, add the oil, then gently stir in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Skewer the components on to the prepared skewers, then move to a sheet pan and keep ready – optionally, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers. Beat all the ingredients for the dressing in a medium bowl. Preheat the broiler to its highest setting, then bake the sticks for a short time on each side, until the paneer is browned and the potatoes are starting to char. (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, scattered with a little more sea salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.