Rukmini Iyer's Quick and Simple Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing – Recipe
One found with joy that the traditional Indian spice mix podi – a rough grind of searingly hot, 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. That’s not a misnomer if you were using my grandmother’s home-dried chillies, but it would be generous 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.
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 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Serves 2
Four hundred grams starchy potatoes, cut into four-centimeter chunks
225g paneer, cubed into 0.8-inch cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
One tsp black peppercorns
One teaspoon chilli flakes
1½ tsp flaky sea salt, and additional for garnish
Two cloves of garlic, skinned and shredded
1-inch piece fresh ginger, skinned and shredded
40ml flavorless oil
1 red onion, prepared and divided into eight wedges, then halved crossways
For the dressing
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
10g fresh mint leaves, minced
½ tsp flaky sea salt
One hundred grams natural yoghurt
Cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes, then drain them and let them dry from steam for a minute. In the interim, put the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water for five minutes, then strain and blot dry.
Pour the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the salt, chili flakes, and peppercorns, then crush or grind to a coarse mixture.
Place in a medium-large bowl with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then lightly combine with the ingredients to coat. Thread the paneer, potatoes and onions 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 cover and refrigerate the skewers.
Whisk all the dressing components in a mixing bowl. Turn on the grill to its top temperature, then bake the sticks for five to seven minutes on each side, until the paneer is golden brown and the potatoes are beginning to blacken. (This may take a little more or less time depending on the intensity of your oven, so watch carefully, especially when cooking the first side.)
Present the skewers warm, scattered with a little more flaky salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.
