In Indian households, finding a jar full of macaroni stuffed at the back of a kitchen cabinet is not an uncommon sight. Macaroni is a style of paste shaped like narrow tubes and made with maida (all-purpose flour) or semolina (sooji). The best part is that it is so versatile that it can be used in sandwiches, soups, and even salads. In India, desi-style, homemade macaroni is everyone's comfort food. It makes for an amazing breakfast and snack recipe. Crunchy veggies coated with spicy and flavorful masala, desi macaroni is hard to resist. However, what if it turns out to be mushy and sticky? Ending up with clumped-up macaroni is a common culinary challenge. Fortunately, it can be tackled with some simple tricks. Read on to learn how to keep your macaroni from sticking.
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Boil macaroni with enough water to prevent it from sticking.
Photo Credit: iStock
Here Are 5 Foolproof Hacks To Prevent Macaroni From Sticking:
1. Use Enough Water
The first step to ensuring that your macaroni does not stick is using enough water while boiling it. Make sure to use a heavy-bottomed pan with plenty of water. This would ensure that your macaroni gets enough space to move around and get cooked without clumping together. While boiling macaroni, make sure to use a 1:2 ratio of macaroni to water to ensure adequate cooking.
2. Use Salt In Water
Another step that is often skipped or ignored while boiling macaroni is adding salt to the water. Once you add macaroni to water, make sure to add a spoonful of salt to it. The salt won't just enhance the flavour of your macaroni but also prevent it from sticking together.
3. Stir Regularly
Adding macaroni to enough water along with salt is not enough to prevent it from sticking together. Once you add macaroni, give it a good stir at least two to three times. Make sure to stir once in the middle of the cook and once before it's ready. Stirring regularly while boiling your macaroni would also ensure even cooking.
Keep stirring the macaroni while it's boiling to prevent it from sticking.
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4. Avoid Overcooking
Timing is crucial while boiling your macaroni. Although packaged macaroni mentions how long it is supposed to boil, remove the macaroni from heat once it gets to the right texture. A simple way to check if the macaroni is cooked is by poking it with a fork. If it is nice and soft, it's done. However, this does not mean it is cooked to the point that it becomes mushy. Mushy macaroni is more prone to sticking together.
5. Rinse With Cold Water
After draining the cooked macaroni in a colander, rinse it under cold running water. This would remove the extra starch from the surface of the macaroni, which could make your dish super sticky and mushy. Gently shake the colander to remove excess water from your macaroni before adding it to your sauce or masala.
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