This Speedy and Easy Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing – Cooking Guide
One learned that the South Indian seasoning podi – a rubble of fiery, crudely milled spices, which you stir into a little oil and use as a sauce for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” blend. This is accurate if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, but it would be generous to say that I’m far less adventurous 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 Mint-Lime Dressing
Prepare six to eight barbecue sticks (if made of wood, let them sit in water for 10 minutes first).
Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves two people
400g firm potatoes, sliced into 4cm chunks
8 ounces paneer, cubed into two-centimeter cubes
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish
Two garlic pieces, prepared and minced
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, skinned and shredded
Forty milliliters neutral oil
One red onion, skinned and sliced into eight wedges, then cut in half horizontally
For the dressing
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
10g fresh mint leaves, minced
Half a tsp flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt
Boil the potatoes for nine minutes, then pour off the liquid and leave to steam dry for a minute. In the interim, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for 5 minutes, then strain and blot dry.
Tip the spice seeds into a pestle and mortar or blender, add the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt, then crush or grind to a rough rubble.
Place in a sizable container with the minced ginger and garlic, add the oil, then gently stir in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Arrange the paneer, potatoes and onions on to barbecue sticks, then transfer to a baking sheet and reserve for later – if you like, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.
Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing in a mixing bowl. Preheat the broiler to its maximum heat, then bake the sticks for a short time on each side, until the paneer is golden brown and the potatoes are starting to char. (This may take a different amount of time depending on the intensity of your oven, so monitor closely, especially when cooking the first side.)
Present the skewers warm, scattered with a little more salt and the sauce on the side for serving.
