Fatima's Fabulous Kitchen

I don't eat to live. I live to eat.

Recipes

Masala Mac N’ Cheese

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Masala Mac N’ Cheese is a concept that has been on my mind for a while. Ever since I’ve heard of the bomb-ass kimchee mac n’ cheese from the Korean American food bloggers I knew an Indian version had to be made.

Since masala is in the name, I start off by making a masala-based component. Like with many South  Indian curries, I begin the dish by tempering some oil with mustard seeds and curry leaves. I then sautée in some onions, chilies, and cooked it all down in pureed tomatoes.  I wanted to keep this vegetarian so I also used mushrooms as a great flavor enhancer and base of the masala, but if for some strange reason you don’t like them, you can of course used ground beef. Lastly, I season it all with your go-to classic Indian spices – turmeric, chili powder, cumin, and coriander along with some ginger-garlic paste.

The bechamel cheese sauce is made in a standard-fashion (if it ain’t broke, why change it?). I make a quick roux with butter and flour, added milk, sharp cheddar cheese cheese, and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

I don’t think there should ever be hard-and-fast rules for mac n’ cheese. As long as it tastes great, you should be able to do any variation you like. Everything is subject to change. But if there is one rule for making mac n’ cheese that everyone should abide by it’s this:

Always use a block of cheese and grate it yourself. Don’t use pre-shredded; it jut doesn’t melt that well!

The assembly is pretty straight-forward. I combine cork-screw pasta cooked al-dente with the masala and cheese sauce. I then pour it all in a casserole dish, add a layer of extra grated cheese along with some crushed up butter crackers. (You can of course substitute with bread crumbs or even potato chips).

I then bake it at 400 F until its beautiful and bubbly and golden brown.

Some people might feel apprehensive about this fusion dish. After all classics remain classics for a reason, and sometimes adding too many things can turn it into conFUSION.

Traditional mac n’ cheese is comfort food at its finest but often it can be a bit heavy and rich. The spices and acidity of the masala cuts the richnesss a little bit and adds a new dimension of flavor making this irresistibly good.

If you want a little something special on your Thanksgiving table make this and you won’t be disappointed!

********** This recipe has been updated to have more cheese sauce!

4 from 1 vote
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Masala Mac N' Cheese

An Indian-American fusion dish perfect for thanksgiving

Ingredients

bechamel cheese sauce

  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese (grated) (1 block)
  • 2 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Masala

  • 4-5 tbsp butter and/or oil
  • 2 small onions
  • 1/2 bell pepper
  • 1-2 jalapenos or serrano chilies
  • 3 large tomatoes (pureed)
  • 3/4 lb ground beef OR 1 lb of mushrooms (vegetarian version)
  • 1.5 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp coriander
  • 1 1/2 - 2 tsp salt or to taste

Assembly

  • 1 lb pasta noodles (cavatappi or macaroni etc)
  • 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
  • 5-6 butter crackers such as Ritz may substitute with bread crumbs
  • 1 tsp masala spice mix of your choice optional

Instructions

  1. Start by prepping your ingredients for the masala. Dice your onions, bell pepper, chilies, and mushrooms (if you are using them instead of ground beef). Puree your tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Set aside. 

  2. In a large and wide pan, melt your butter on medium high-heat. You may also use oil.

  3. Now add in your ground beef. Break up with a wooden spoon and allow it to turn brown. If you are using mushrooms instead, allow them to cook down and shrink.

  4. Now add in your onions, bell pepper, chilies. Cook down until onions are translucent and vegetables begin to caramelize. 

  5. Add in your salt, spices, and ginger-garlic paste. Cook and stir for about a minute or two. 

  6. Add in your pureed tomatoes. Cook down the mixture until about half of the liquid is gone. The masala shouldn't be too dry nor should it be too thin like soup. Somewhere in the middle is just right. Taste and adjust for seasonings.

Bechamel Cheese Sauce

  1. Start off by making your roux. In a small pot, melt your butter on medium-high heat. Add in your flour. Stir with a whisk. Make sure there are no lumps. The roux will start to thicken and turn brown. 

  2. Now stir in your milk. Mix well. Then add in your cheese. Allow it to melt while you stir frequently. The cheese sauce should be a little thick yet smooth in texture. 

Assembly

  1. Set your oven to 400 F. 

  2. Boil your pasta in salted water (al dente) according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

  3. Combine all three elements - pasta, masala, and cheese sauce. 

  4. In a oiled or buttered casserole dish, add your pasta mixture. Now top the mixture with the remaining grated cheese. Sprinkle some extra spices such as a good quality channa masala blend on top if you'd like. Crush up your crackers and add to the top. 

  5. Bake in the oven until cheese is melted and top layer is golden brown. Your Masala Mac N' Cheese is ready to serve!

Kadhai Chicken

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I strongly believe that every  brown guy and every brown girl should have a good Indian chicken curry recipe on hand. Whether it’s to give your mom a break from the kitchen, get through an excruciating finals week, or impress a crush who just happens to also be a major foodie – a recipe like this one always comes in handy.

A good chicken kadhai is all about balance.

It should have just the right amount of oil – too little and it’s on the bland side; too much and you’re giving your guests a heart attack.

It should have the right amount of spice. Add too much garam masala and it’s unbearably overpowering. Too little …well you might as well have said that a white person made it.

It should have the right amount of sweet and sour. Too much yogurt and your lips are puckering, too little onion and the curry is bitter.

But when you do strike that balance, you get absolute magic.

What makes my version of this specific curry different than other chicken curry recipes is that I don’t use any garlic – just ginger.  Secondly, I sear off the chicken first rather than merely adding it to the gravy. The browning of the chicken adds extra flavor.

I start off by flavoring my oil with some bay leaves and cardamom. After searing down my chicken, I remove the pieces from the pan (I don’t worry about fully cooking it just yet, for now I simply want it to develop some color)  and caramelize my onions and add in pureed tomatoes, chilies,  and the following spices – turmeric, garam masala, cinnamon, nutmeg, chili powder, cumin, coriander.

I then softly stir in some yogurt, add my chicken back in along with some water, and allow it to simmer and cook down. Once the curry thickens, I add in a generous helping of kashuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves.

And that is as simple as it gets. Garnish with some cilantro and julienned ginger. Serve with some hot naan and basmati rice and your in for a real treat!

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Kadhai Chicken

A classic Indian chicken curry recipe consisting of onions, tomatoes, chicken, chilies, yogurt. 

Servings 3 people

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs chicken (bone-in)
  • 4 tbsp oil
  • 2-3 cardamom pods
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • 1 2/3 cups diced onion (about 1 1/2 medium onions)
  • 1-2 green chilies
  • 1 1/2 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 tomatoes (pureed)
  • 4 tbsp yogurt
  • 2 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 2 cups water

Powdered Spices

  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 3/4 tsp sichuan peppercorn optional - if you don't have it, you can leave it out
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Instructions

  1. Make deep slits into your cleaned and washed chicken pieces. (This desi cooking tip will help the flavors of the curry penetrate the inside of the chicken.) Set aside. 

  2. Add your oil to a wide pan with a heavy bottom on medium-high heat. Toss in your bay leaves and cardamom pods. And cook for about thirty seconds. This will allow it to flavor the oil.

  3. Now add in your chicken and about a 1 tsp of the salt. Let the chicken brown for a few minutes on each side. Once it develops color, remove the pieces from the pan. 

  4. Now add in your onions. Allow them to caramelize (turn dark brown). 

  5. Once your onions have caramelized, add in your ginger. Allow it to cook down until it is no longer raw. 

  6. Then add in all your powdered spices (except the methi, we will add this at the end). Stir for about a minute or so.

  7. Now add in your tomatoes and remaining salt. Make sure they are pureed before you add them in as this will give a smooth texture to your curry. Mix well.

  8. Slowly stir in the yogurt. 

  9. Now add your chicken back into the pan along with your water. Allow the mixture to cook down and the curry to thicken. 

  10. Once the curry has thickened to your desired consistency, crush the kasuri methi in your hand and add it to the curry. Mix well. Taste and adjust for seasonings. 

  11. Garnish with fresh cilantro and ginger. Serve with naan or basmati rice. 

Spiced Butternut Squash and Orzo Soup

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Alright I’ve got a wonderful recipe for all your soup-lovers! Hearty and healthy, sweet and warm, thick and smooth – this spiced butternut squash and orzo soup is the perfect concoction for a cloudy October day, especially if you’re watching your calories.

To start this soup off, I chop and cube up a butternut squash. With its sweetness and versatility it’s one of my absolutely favorite seasonal vegetables and its vibrant orange color certainly a show-stopper in this soup.

I also use leeks, carrots, and kale. All autumn vibes. All good stuff that’s nutritious and guilt-free.  

For starch, I add in a nice serving of orzo. Now, orzo looks like rice but is actually made of semolina flour – and dare I say it, orzo in a soup tastes even better than rice in a soup. I used a brown whole wheat version which makes me feel even better about eating it from a health-wise perspective, cause you know complex carbs are better than simple carbs and all. But you can use whatever you like!

As for stock, I use concentrated vegetable stock that comes in the jar – I prefer this  product because I think it tastes a lot better than boillion cubes and the stock that comes in big boxes. Plus with this method, you can control how much flavor and salt goes into your soup – not to mention, it will last in your fridge for several months!

Many people complain that vegetable soups are bland – but this soup has a secret ingredient which elevates it into another realm – a heaping tablespoon of garam masala. The warmth of cinnamon, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, and all the other spices in your mix brings out tremendous depth and works amazingly with fall vegetables.

And there you have it! A healthy and comforting vegetable soup spiced with Indian flavors. Save your run to Panera and make this soup at home instead. You won’t regret it.

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Spiced Butternut Squash and Orzo Soup

A hearty fall soup consisting of butternut squash, leeks, carrots, kale, orzo, and seasoned with garam masala - a warm Indian blend of spices. 

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 6 cups butternut squash cubed equivalent to 1 squash
  • 1 cup leek about 1/2 a leek
  • 1 cup carrot
  • 1 1/2 cup kale
  • 2/3 cup orzo
  • 3 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp concentrated vegetable stock paste (will be added to water to make stock) can substitute with 4-5 cups vegetable stock
  • 7 cups water (or to taste, depending on how thick you want your soup to be)
  • salt or to taste
  • 2 Tbsp garam masala
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Chop up your vegetables - butternut squash, leeks, carrots, and kale. Set aside.

  2. In a large soup pot on medium-high heat, add in your olive oil.

  3. Now add in your vegetables. Stir and cook for a few minutes. Add in the salt and bay leaf. (Do not cook all the way through.)

  4. Add in your orzo. Stir. Now add in your vegetable stock paste along with the water. 

  5. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-low heat. 

  6. Stir in your garam masala, black pepper. Taste and adjust for salt. Your soup is ready! Serve with crusty bread.