🔗 Share this article This Speedy and Easy Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing – Cooking Guide One learned that the traditional Indian seasoning podi – a rough grind of searingly hot, roughly ground spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a sauce for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” spice mix. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, but it would be charitable to say that I’m far less adventurous with chilli, so here I suggest crushed chilies instead. It’s an extraordinarily good marinade for these paneer and potato skewers. Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing Gather six to eight metal or wooden skewers (if made of wood, soak them in water for 10 minutes first). Prep 10 min Cook 30 min Serves a couple Four hundred grams firm potatoes, sliced into 4cm chunks 8 ounces paneer, cut into 0.8-inch cubes One teaspoon coriander seeds ½ teaspoon fennel seeds One tsp cumin seeds One teaspoon black peppercorns 1 teaspoon chilli flakes One and a half teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve 2 garlic cloves, skinned and shredded 1-inch piece fresh ginger, skinned and shredded about 3 tablespoons 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 10g fresh mint leaves, diced small Half a tsp flaky sea salt One hundred grams natural yoghurt Cook the potatoes for nine minutes, then drain them and leave to steam dry for a minute. Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for five minutes, then drain and pat dry. Add the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a grinding bowl or mill, add the seasonings, then pound or blitz to a coarse mixture. Transfer to a medium-large bowl with the grated garlic and ginger, add the oil, then gently stir in the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions to coat. Arrange the paneer, potatoes and onions on to the prepared skewers, then place on a tray and keep ready – optionally, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers. Stir all the dressing components in a medium bowl. Turn on the grill to its highest setting, then bake the sticks for 5–7 minutes on each side, until the paneer is browned and the potatoes are starting to char. (This may take a variable duration depending on the fierceness of your grill, so watch carefully, especially when cooking the first side.) Serve the skewers hot, topped with a little more sea salt and the sauce on the side for serving.