Those of you living in the US would surely have encountered the standard American macaroni and cheese (or mac & cheese): the bright orange-colored gooey stuff only a kid would eat, coming either from a (blue) box with "cheese powder," or made with "processed cheese food" otherwise known as Velveeta.

Well, scrap everything you think you know about macaroni and cheese, and open wide for a helping of the real traditional version.

This is a dish with few ingredients, relying only on basic techniques, and yet it is guaranteed to become a firm family favorite on those cold winter evenings; truly a comfort food.

You start off with white sauce, which I had earlier shown you step by step with loads of pictures how to make easily and flawlessly using the microwave. (Just click on the link for the instructions).

• While waiting for the microwave to ping, bring a large pot of water to boil.
• Add salt and a teaspoon of oil to the boiling water, and then a cup of macaroni or other short pasta. Cook until tender and drain.
• When the white sauce is done, add salt to taste and half a teaspoon of black pepper powder and mix well.
  I also add a quarter teaspoon red chilli powder and a teaspoon of strong mustard powder.
• Add a cup of grated cheese to the white sauce (I prefer sharp cheddar) and stir until the cheese has melted and mixed in well.
• Now add the cooked macaroni and mix well.
• Spoon the mixture into an ovenproof dish (I use Corningware).
• Sprinkle more cheese over the top, and
• bake for 20 minutes at 350 F (180 C) until the cheese has melted and started to brown.

Note: You can use vegetarian cheese, eggless pasta and soy milk to make this completely vegan, or any combination of these to suit your requirements.