Mac and Cheese [Stove top method]

Hi friends,

After Monica’s – Herbal tea with Honey that I posted yesterday, I am back with yet another dish from the TV series – FRIENDS.The recipe today is from Season 6 – The one with Unagi.

The episode starts with Phoebe and Rachel walking into their hangout – Centrel perk and tell Ross that they are taking a self- defense class. Ross feels that no matter what class they take up, they do no have Unagi and hence it is useless .Unagi is the term often used by Ross in this episode where he explains to Phoebe and Rachael that it is something that you feel in your head and being prepared for an attack or in other words, a state of total awareness.Rachael on the other hand thinks it is the Japanese word for fresh water eel! Ross tries to prove his point by startling them in the stair way and the girly duo attack back and prove that it is Ross who does not have Unagi!

Then Chandler and Monica take an oath to gift each other hand made gifts for Valentines Day.Chandler is frantic as he does not know what to give Monica and finally after searching high and low, finds a customized tape and hands it over to Monica. Monica gifts Chandler a sock bunny but Chandler is quick enough to point out that Phoebe makes sock bunnies and Monica agrees that she asked Phoebe to make it for her. She is also guilty that when Chandler took so much pains to make her a tape of songs she loves, she could not give anything back in return.So as a compensation she cooks Chandlers favorite dishes one after another and one of them is this Mac and Cheese.

The best part comes when they put on the tape and the song  starts and Monica is touched that her favorite song is there on the tape, when suddenly Janice’s voice is heard.[Janice is Chandler’s ex-girlfriend and is well remembered for her ‘Oh-my-God!’ exclamation]. Monica is furiuos and Chandler stands there with a mixed feeling in his face!!!!

Now to the recipe for the day….To be honest I have never prepared Mac and Cheese at home, but saw this as a chance to do so. I had bookmarked this stove top method from Rak’s blog and made a few changes to the recipe.

I used:
Adapted from :Rak’s Kitchen

Pasta – 1/2 cup
Milk- 1 cup
Cheddar cheese, grated – 1/2 cup
All purpose flour / Maida- 1 tablespoon
Pepper powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Butter – 2 tablspoons
Dried Oregano – a large pinch
Red chilli flakes- a large pinch
Salt to taste

1. Cook the pasta according to the direction on the pack.Drain and keep aside.
2. In a bowl mix together pepper powder,oregano,salt and all purpose flour.
3. Heat a pan with butter.When it melts add the all purpose flour mixture into it and mix well.
4. Simmer and add milk,whisk well to get a smooth sauce.
5. Turn down the flame to ‘low’ and add the grated cheese.Mix well.
6. When the cheese melts,and starts to bubble lightly, add the pasta and switch off the flame.
7. Mix gently so that the cheese sauce coats the pasta.
8. Serve garnished with a pinch of chilli flakes.

Note :

• Serve immediately. As you can see in the pic, the sauce gets absorbed fast. By the time I finished clicking the pic, the sauce was all gone.
• It is very important that there are no lumps in the sauce. Cook on low flame and never let the milk boil.
• The original recipe uses mustard powder which is added in step 2, butI did not use it.Add 1/4 teaspoon if using.
• You can use any type of pasta

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