🔗 Share this article Rukmini Iyer's Fast and Effortless Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Lime-Mint Dressing – Recipe I was delighted to discover that the South Indian spice mix podi – a coarse mix of fiery, coarsely crushed spices, which you combine with a little oil and use as a sauce 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 kind to say that I’m far less daring with chilli, so here I suggest crushed chilies instead. It’s an exceptionally great marinade for these paneer and potato skewers. Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Lime-Mint Dressing You will need six to eight skewers made of metal or wood (if bamboo, soak them in water for 10 minutes first). Prep 10 min Cook half an hour Serves a couple 14 ounces waxy potatoes, sliced into 1.5-inch chunks 225g paneer, diced into 2cm cubes 1 tsp coriander seeds ½ tsp fennel seeds One tsp cumin seeds One teaspoon black peppercorns One tsp chilli flakes One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish Two garlic cloves, prepared and minced 1-inch piece fresh ginger, skinned and shredded 40ml mild oil 1 red onion, skinned and sliced into eight wedges, then halved crossways For the dressing Lime zest and juice, freshly prepared 0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, minced Half a tsp flaky sea salt 100g natural yoghurt Simmer the potatoes for 9 minutes, then pour off the liquid and allow to air dry for a minute. In the interim, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for a short while, then drain and pat dry. Pour the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds into a pestle and mortar or blender, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then pound or blitz to a rough rubble. Tip into a sizable container with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then gently stir in the cubed paneer, cooked potatoes and red onions to coat. Skewer the components on to barbecue sticks, then move to a sheet pan and reserve for later – if you like, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers. Beat all the dressing components in a medium 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 different amount of time depending on the heat of your broiler, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.) Offer the grilled sticks immediately, scattered with a little more salt and the dressing alongside for dipping.