Thomasina Miers' Recipe for Lime Pickle Paneer Skewers with Green Bean, Chickpea and Mango Salad | The new flexitarian

I love cooking hacks: something smart, easy, and delicious, like using a store-bought lime pickle as a quick marinade for paneer. Here, I then grilled the marinated paneer and paired it with a tempting mango and green bean salad for a simple, summery treat.

Pickle and lime paneer kebabs with green bean salad, of chickpeas and mangos

A handful of earthy spices balance the bright flavors of mango and lime in the ocher-tinged salad. You will need wooden or metal skewers for the skewers.

Preparation 20 minMarinating 3 h + Cooking 10 minFor 4

For the salad300g green beans1 mango peeled, pitted and flesh cut into small cubes1 green chilli, cut into small cubes2 shallots bananas, peeled and cut into small dice3 tsp garam masala 2 tsp black cumin seeds 225g cooked chickpeas 5 tsp vegetable oil1 tsp turmeric1 small bunch corianderJuice and zest of 1 lime< /p>

For the paneer3 tablespoons lime pickles200g Greek yogurtSalt and black pepper450g paneer, cut into 3-4cm squares1 green bell pepper, stem, seeds and pith removed, flesh cut into 3-4cm pieces150g cherry tomatoes

For the paneer, coarsely chop the lemon pickle green, then put it in a small bowl with the yogurt. Mix well and season, then add the paneer, green pepper and tomatoes. You can make this ahead of time and let it marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for a few hours or even overnight.

To make the salad, bring a medium saucepan of water to boil and blanch the green beans for three to four minutes, until tender. Drain immediately and refresh in cold water to stop the cooking. Pour into a bowl with the diced mango, chilli, shallots, two teaspoons of garam masala and everything except a pinch of nigella seeds.

Rinse the peas chicks, rub them with a kitchen towel to get rid of most of their skins, then dry them thoroughly. Mix in a tablespoon of vegetable oil, the rest of the garam masala and the turmeric, and season generously. Put a frying pan on high heat, pour two tablespoons of oil and fry the chickpeas for five to six minutes, until golden brown. Pour onto a plate lined with paper towel.

Thread the paneer, peppers and tomatoes on the skewers, heat a frying pan or light the barbecue. Broil or broil the skewers on all sides until they look deliciously caramelized.

Toss the chickpeas in the green bean salad with the most of the cilantro and squeeze over the lime. Serve with paneer skewers, sprinkled with a final touch of nigella seeds and coriander, and enjoy immediately.

The simple flex

For a vegan option, make grill the eggplant with the green peppers and tomatoes, cooking them more slowly than you would with the paneer, so that it is cooked through. Add cashews to mango salad for an extra boost of protein.