🔗 Share this article This Fast and Simple Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing – Cooking Guide One found with joy that the traditional Indian blend podi – a rubble of fiery, roughly ground spices, which you mix with a little oil and use as a accompaniment for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” blend. That’s not a misnomer if you were using my grandmother’s personally dried peppers, but it would be kind to say that I’m far less bold with chilli, so here I suggest crushed chilies instead. It’s an remarkably tasty marinade for these paneer and potato skewers. Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing Gather six to eight metal or wooden skewers (if bamboo, let them sit in water for 10 minutes first). Prep a quick 10 minutes Cook 30 min Serves a couple 400g firm potatoes, chopped into four-centimeter chunks 225g paneer, cut into 2cm cubes 1 tsp coriander seeds Half a tsp fennel seeds One teaspoon cumin seeds 1 tsp black peppercorns 1 tsp chilli flakes One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish Two garlic cloves, skinned and shredded 2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated Forty milliliters flavorless oil 1 red onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges, then halved crossways For the dressing Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime 0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, finely chopped ½ tsp flaky sea salt 3.5 ounces natural yoghurt Simmer the potatoes for about 10 minutes, then remove the water and leave to steam dry for a minute. In the interim, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for 5 minutes, then remove water and dry gently. Pour the cumin, coriander, and fennel 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 medium-large bowl with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then carefully mix in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Skewer the components on to six to eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, then transfer to a baking sheet and keep ready – if desired, you can at this stage wrap and chill the skewers. Beat all the sauce elements in a mixing bowl. Preheat the broiler to its maximum heat, then bake the sticks for five to seven minutes on each side, until the paneer is browned and the potatoes are getting slightly burnt. (This may take a variable duration depending on the fierceness of your grill, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.) Present the skewers warm, topped with a little more salt and the dressing alongside for dipping.