Recipe: Indian Macaroni and Cheese

INDIAN MACARONI AND CHEESE

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons peeled, minced ginger root
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 cups chopped onions (about 2)
3 cups chopped Roma tomatoes (4 to 6), plus one additional tomato for slicing
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk, warmed
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided use
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup elbow macaroni, cooked

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 4-cup baking dish with vegetable spray.

In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Saute cumin, ginger and garlic for 1 minute.

Add onions and cook until translucent, 6-8 minutes.

Add tomatoes and salt. Mix well. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat until tomatoes break down, 5-7 minutes. Mash with back of spoon. Set aside.

In another saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in flour. Add milk in a slow stream, whisking continuously to make a smooth mixture. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring continuously, until sauce is thick, 5-7 minutes.

Stir in 1/4 cup cheese until melted. Stir in cayenne pepper, if using. Add tomato masala and mix well. Stir in macaroni.

Pour mixture into prepared dish. Arrange tomato slices on top. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly on top.

Bake in preheated oven until top is bubbly and lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

Servings: 4
Source: Easy Indian Cooking by Suneeta Vaswani