Desi Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Tuna
With just TWO WEEKS to go until the launch of my book, here's another exclusive recipe to try! It's suitable for toddlers from 10 months and up and it's delish, delish oh and did I say delish? I tend to bulk cook this one and serve it as a family meal. Everyone loves it and Aaliyah has a particular love for tuna so it always goes down a treat.
Desi Mac'n'Cheese with Tuna
An Indian twist on a British school dinner classic... loaded with complex carbohydrates vital for energy (courtesy of the macaroni pasta), this meal is extremely versatile. Exclude the tuna for a vegetarian meal, chop up cooked macaroni for spoon-feeding, or keep the macaroni pasta whole and serve as a finger food.
Makes 5 servings. Total preparation and cooking time: 30mins. Suitable for freezing.
Ingredients
80g (3oz) macaroni pasta
Tomato masala:
- 1 tbsp olive oil½ onion- peeled, chopped
- ½ tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp minced ginger
- 1 tomato - washed, chopped
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
White sauce:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 350ml (12fl oz) of whole milk
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 x 185g (6½oz) tinned tuna (in spring water) - drained
- 30g (1oz) medium Cheddar cheese - grated
Method
Cook the macaroni according to packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
Tomato masala: Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and stir-fry on medium-low heat for 2mins until soft. Add the garlic, ginger, tomato, oregano and stir-fry continuously for a few minutes until the tomato chunks begin to soften, and set aside.
White sauce: In a pot, melt the butter on low heat and spoon in the flour. Stir continuously until a paste is formed, then pour in the milk a little at a time and whisk vigorously to avoid any lumps appearing. Once all of the milk has been poured, add the nutmeg, black pepper and flake in the tuna. Bring to the boil on low heat and simmer (uncovered) for 4-5mins, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, add the cheese and the tomato masala to the sauce and stir. If the sauce looks very heavy, add some extra milk. Toss the cooked macaroni into sauce and combine well. Serve to baby warm.
