Gunpowder paneer nachos with mango avocado salsa & minted soured cream

Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Put the paneer into a bowl, cover with just-boiled water and leave to soak. Stack the tortillas, then cut into 8 even wedges. Trim the tops of the wedges with scissors to make them heart-shaped, if liked. Brush with 1 tbsp oil, spread over 2 large baking trays, then bake for 8 minutes, until crisp and golden. Season with salt. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan, then sizzle ½ the garlic and ½ the curry leaves until fragrant. Stir in 1 tsp gunpowder spice, sizzle until smelling nutty, then pour in the tomatoes and season generously. Simmer fast for 10 minutes, adding the chickpeas halfway, until rich and well reduced. Scoop into a bowl. Wash out the pan.

For the salsa, layer the onion, then mango, then avocado in a medium bowl. Add the lime zest and pour the lime juice over, but don’t mix until you serve. Combine the soured cream and mint with seasoning in a serving bowl.

Scatter ½ the cheese and dollop ½ the chickpeas over one of the trays of chips. Follow with the rest of the chips, then chickpeas, then cheese. Bake for 5-8 minutes until melted. Meanwhile, drain the paneer. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the pan and fry the paneer for 3 minutes on a medium-high heat, until golden on most sides. Stir in the remaining garlic and curry leaves until fragrant, add 1 tsp gunpowder spice and cook for 1-2 minutes, tossing often. You’ll hear the cheese shuffling about in the pan when ready.

Stir the salsa gently and season. Top the hot nachos with some salsa (serve the remainder alongside), then scatter with the hot paneer, scraping the curry leaves and any leftover spice from the pan. Serve immediately, with the soured cream on the side for dipping.