Rukmini Iyer's Fast and Simple Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing – Recipe

I was delighted to discover that the south Indian spice mix podi – a rubble of intensely spicy, coarsely crushed spices, which you stir into a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” spice mix. That’s not a misnomer if you were using my grandmother’s homemade dried chilies, 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 extraordinarily good marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.

Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Lime-Mint Dressing

Prepare six to eight metal or wooden skewers (if bamboo, immerse them in water for 10 minutes first).

Prep a quick 10 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Serves 2

Four hundred grams waxy potatoes, cut into 4cm chunks
Two hundred twenty-five grams paneer, cubed into 2cm cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
One tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, with more for serving
Two garlic cloves, skinned and shredded
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, prepared and minced
40ml mild oil
1 red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then cut in half horizontally

For the dressing
Lime zest and juice, freshly prepared
10g fresh mint leaves, minced
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt

Cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes, then pour off the liquid and leave to steam dry for a minute. At the same time, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling 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 coarse mixture.

Tip into a large mixing bowl with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then carefully mix in the ingredients to coat. Skewer the vegetables and cheese on to the prepared skewers, then transfer to a baking sheet and set aside until needed – if desired, you can at this stage store in the fridge the skewers.

Stir all the dressing components in a container. Heat the grill to its top temperature, then cook the skewers for a short time on each side, until the paneer is crispy and the potatoes are beginning to blacken. (This may take a different amount of time depending on the fierceness of your grill, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)

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