Paneer is an Indian cheese that grills in a similar way to halloumi. It has a mild flavour and soaks up the spicy rub deliciously!
Cut each block of paneer in half and rest on a plate. Put the garam masala in a bowl, add the vegetable oil and salt and pepper to taste, then stir to a paste. Spoon a generous half of the paste over the paneer and rub all over. Cover and marinate in the fridge for an hour or so.
Add the cherry tomatoes to the bowl with the rest of the spiced oil and toss well to mix. Thread the tomatoes onto skewers.
To make the chutney, whizz the mint, coriander, garlic, lemon juice, chillies and sugar in a mini blender until smooth, adding a splash of water if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
You can also make in a pestle and mortar for a slightly more rustic version.
When you are ready to cook, fire up the barbecue ready for direct grilling.
Get the fire really hot and give the grill bars a clean with a wire brush to minimize sticking. Lay the paneer on the grill bars directly over the fire, lower the lid and cook for 2–3 minutes, or until a nice browned crust forms on the bottom. Using a metal spatula to ease the paneer away from the grill, flip over to cook the other side. If you have a vegetable grilling tray, this is a good time to use it.
At the same time as you add the paneer, add the tomato skewers to the grill and cook until the tomatoes are lightly charred and starting to burst open.
Serve the paneer on a bed of salad leaves with the tomato skewers on top. Drizzle over some of the chutney and serve the rest alongside. Add an extra pinch of Maldon little extra crunch!
