INDIAN MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is my entry for Weekend Cookbook Challenge(WCC) #19,for the theme A Dinner and A DVD,hosted by Sara.This was our dinner and watched a DVD of Big B(Malayalam Movie) ;-)This dish is from Easy Indian Cooking by suneeta Vaswani.

Ingredient :

Olive Oil - 1 Tbsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 Tsp

Minced Peeled Ginger root - 2 Tsp

Minced Garlic - 2 Tsp

Chopped Onions - 1 1/2 Cups

Chopped Tomatoes - 3 Cups

Salt - To Taste

Butter - 2 Tbsp

Milk(warmed) - 1 Cup

All Purpose Flour - 3 Tbsp

Shredded cheddar cheese,divided - 1/2 Cup

Cayenne Pepper(optional) / Pepper Powder - 1/2 - 1 tsp

Elbow Macaroni / Any of your choice (cooked) - 1 Cup

Tomato sliced - 1

Method :

1) In a saucepan,heat oil over medium heat.Saute cumin,ginger and garlic for 1 minute.Add onions and cook until translucent for 6-8 minutes.

2)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.

3) 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.

4) Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese until melted.Stir in a cayenne pepper or regular pepper.Add tomato masala and mix well.Stir in macaroni.

5) Pour mixture in to a baking dish,sprayed vegetable oil.Arrange tomato slices on top.Sprinkle remaining cheese and some pepper powder evenly on top.

6) Bake in 375 degree F until top is bubbly and lightly browned,25-30 minutes.

As there is no spice added except pepper powder,adjust the taste according to your spice level.As you can see ,I have not used much of cheese here.For those who love cheese can use the specified cheese quantity or more on the topping.