Matar Paneer - Barny’s Classic Pea & Feta Cheese Curry Recipe

Serves 4 as a main meal or up to 15 as a side dish (with 2 other main dishes).

Our family have been making this for years, it is a real classic, and a good veggie option (Vegan option suggested below).  It is really good for cooking in advance and chilling or freezing.  It travels well as solidifies when it is cold.

Ignore this if you are going for tinned tomatoes (recommended).  If you are using fresh tomatoes, before you start, boil the kettle and soak the 3 large tomatoes in the boiled water so that the skins come off easily when you need them to.

Ginger, fresh, 1½inch, grated

Garlic, 2 cloves, grated

Oil, for frying

Fry the ginger, garlic in the oil gently for 2 minutes - don't burn the garlic!  Add:

Chilli powder or flakes, ½tsp

Cardamon, 1 level tsp of the inside black seeds, crushed

Tumeric, 1½tsp

Coriander, ground, 1½tsp

Fry gently for a few minutes.  Then add 

Peas, fresh or frozen, 700g

Cover with boiling water so that the peas are just covered (ie not too much!).  Boil for 5 minutes until they are cooked.  Then, “Lob in”:

Tomatoes, 1 400g tin of cherry tomatoes (or 3 large, fresh, peeled, diced)

Feta cheese, 3x 200g packs (600g), diced into 1-1½cm cubes.  

For a Vegan option you could leave out the cheese and add a can of coconut milk, some butter beans and 1 tsp of salt.

DO NOT STIR.  Turn off the heat until you are ready to eat.  You want to retain the fragile pretty red tomatoes and classic lumps of white cheese.  A few minutes before serving gently heat through until a little of the cheese melts stir in SLOW motion to retain the distinct colours and shapes.  Check the seasoning, you shouldn't need to add salt as the feta adds enough.

It is so nice, even cold on toast the next day, but usually there isn’t any the next day…..

Updated 25/11/23