Rukmini Iyer's Quick and Effortless Spicy Paneer and Potato Skewers with Mint-Lime Dressing – Recipe
I learned that the south Indian spice mix podi – a rubble of fiery, crudely milled spices, which you stir into a little oil and use as a dip for dosa or idli – is also known as “gunpowder” spice mix. 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 chilli flakes instead. It’s an remarkably tasty marinade for these paneer and potato skewers.
Gunpowder Paneer and Potato Skewers with Citrus-Mint Dressing
Gather six to eight metal or wooden skewers (if wooden, soak them in water for 10 minutes first).
Prep a quick 10 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Serves two people
Four hundred grams waxy potatoes, chopped into 4cm chunks
8 ounces paneer, cut into 0.8-inch cubes
One tsp coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
One and a half tsp flaky sea salt, with more for serving
2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
Two and a half centimeters piece fresh ginger, prepared and minced
about 3 tablespoons neutral oil
1 red onion, skinned and sliced into eight wedges, then sliced across
For the dressing
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
0.35 ounces fresh mint leaves, diced small
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
3.5 ounces natural yoghurt
Simmer the potatoes for 9 minutes, then remove the water and let them dry from steam for a minute. At the same time, put the paneer cubes in a container with heated water for five minutes, then drain and pat dry.
Pour the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds into a mortar or spice grinder, add the seasonings, then crush or grind to a chunky blend.
Transfer to a medium-large bowl with the shredded aromatics, add the oil, then gently stir in the paneer cubes, boiled potatoes, and onion wedges to coat. Skewer the paneer, potatoes and onions on to the prepared skewers, then transfer to a baking sheet and reserve for later – if desired, you can at this stage cover and refrigerate the skewers.
Whisk all the dressing components in a medium bowl. Heat the grill to its maximum heat, then grill the skewers for a short time on each side, until the paneer is browned and the potatoes are getting slightly burnt. (This may take a different amount of time depending on the heat of your broiler, so keep an eye on them, especially when cooking the first side.)
Serve the skewers hot, sprinkled with a little more salt and the accompaniment for drizzling.
