Masala Mac and Cheese

Nothing says love like a home cooked meal. And nothing says comfort more than a bowl of cheesy macaroni. This year, Amar, Aadil and I celebrated Mother's Day Weekend at home in Michigan. It started last May, on my first Mother's Day, when my brother-in-law Steve took photos of the three of us at home and during our visit to Holland, MI for the Tulip Festival. On Saturday, we took advantage of the beautiful day and took pictures in the bright sunshine to continue last year's tradition of having a photo session for each Mother's Day, one I hope to keep for years to come. To celebrate this year, we started the day with chocolate chip pancakes. While it rained most of the day on Sunday, I'm thankful I have a roof over my head and a beautiful baby boy to snuggle with. Aadil has grown up so much in one year. He's now dancing, talking, constantly saying "Mama" and "Papa" and his favorite word: "Flower." While I played with Aadil, Amar made this heavenly masala mac and cheese. It takes less than an hour and is made in one pot. We fought over who could have the little bit of leftovers the next day. I won, as it was my Mother's Day meal after all.

Last weekend we finally got to see my family while spending Memorial Day Weekend together. Amar made a giant pot of masala mac and cheese for everyone. We all loved it! My sister Kavita even sacrificed dessert for more. No matter the time of year or season, I'm always in the mood for a dreamy, cheesy bowl of goodness. I hope when you make this dish, you can share it with someone you love and make memories of your own to last a lifetime!

Our Mother's Day Masala Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• Two tablespoons vegetable oil

• One teaspoon cumin seeds

• Half teaspoon asafetida (hing)

• One sixteen ounce package elbow macaroni noodles

• One finely diced red onion

• Half medium sized finely diced green bell pepper

• Half medium sized finely diced red bell pepper

• Four finely diced serrano peppers

• One diced tomato

• Six cloves minced garlic

• Two cups chopped spinach

• One teaspoon turmeric

• One teaspoon cayenne pepper (lal mirch)

• One teaspoon salt

• One and a half cups heavy cream

• Two cups cheddar cheese

• One cup mozzarella cheese

• Half cup butter

How to make Masala Mac and Cheese

1. Heat two tablespoons oil over medium high heat in large deep pan.

2. Add cumin seeds and let sizzle for 15-30 seconds.

3. Add hing, then turmeric.

4. Add peppers and onions, saute.

5. Add diced tomato, garlic, remaining spices. Mix entire dish well.

6. Cover and wait for mixture to develop sauce like consistency.

7. Add uncooked elbow macaroni to the pot. Add enough water to cover noodles. Stir well.

8. Cover pot and allow to boil for approximately 15 minutes or until noodles are cooked. There should not be water left to drain.

9. Cut up the stick of butter and mix it in.

10. Wait for butter to melt. Slowly pour in heavy cream while also adding cheese and stirring throughout.

11. Combine well and serve while hot! Celebrate with your bowl of creamy, cheesy, flavor packed Masala Mac and Cheese.
    

Notes

Feel free to use vegetables of your choice. Spinach tastes great in here, but peas, carrots, zucchini, broccoli, or pretty much anything else works great as well. For extra spice (Amar style), add a few more serranos, another teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and top with crushed red pepper flakes before serving.