Melting Pot Macaroni

If the idea of curry spices with pasta sounds strange, just try this recipe. It isn’t “fusion cuisine,” just good old American melting-pot food. Curried Macaroni is simple and easy to make, and it can be done early in the day or even a day ahead.

Serve it with a salad of spinach leaves, pomegranate seeds and Bartlett pear slices. For the dressing, put 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 teaspoons water and 4 tablespoons olive oil in a bottle with a lid and shake until mixed.

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Cunningham’s latest book is “Learning to Cook With Marion Cunningham” (Alfred A. Knopf, 1999).

Curried Macaroni

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes

If you plan to serve this immediately, make the sauce first so it will be ready when the macaroni is cooked and hot.

Salt

2 cups small, dried elbow macaroni

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

4 teaspoons curry powder

2 cups milk

Pepper

1 cup cilantro leaves

* Bring 5 quarts salted water (add 1 tablespoon salt and stir so the salt dissolves in the water) to boil. Add macaroni and again give a stir so macaroni doesn’t stick to bottom of pot. Set a timer for 8 minutes and test macaroni for doneness by spearing a piece with a fork, running it under cold water and taking a bite. If it is tender it is done; if it still seems firm, give it another 2 minutes of cooking and test again. Drain macaroni. Place in bowl and, if you are making it ahead of time and don’t plan to serve it right away, take a fork and stir it, then let it sit while you make the sauce.

* Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and stir constantly until butter and flour are smooth and blended. Add curry powder and continue cooking and stirring a couple of minutes; then slowly add milk, stirring constantly so no lumps form. If you have trouble blending smoothly, brisk stirring with a whisk will help. Stir sauce so it thickens, about 5 minutes, taking care it does not burn. Remove from heat and add salt, a little at a time, stirring and tasting, until you like the taste. Add pepper to taste too.

* Pour sauce over macaroni and toss until blended. Add cilantro and serve.

4 servings. Each serving: 227 calories; 195 mg sodium; 25 mg cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.95 gram fiber.