Bring a large pot of water to boil, season generously with salt, and cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water.
In a separate pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add in flour and all the seasonings & spices in it. Keep stirring until it forms a smooth paste, i.e a roux.
Stir in evaporated milk, little by little, until it forms a smooth mixture.
Mix in the shredded cheese until melted and a smooth sauce is formed.
Stir in the reserved pasta water, ¼ cup at a time, to loosen the sauce up.
Fold in the cooked pasta and chives until combined. Serve hot.
Baking for a golden cheesy top (optional)
Preheat your oven to 200°C.
Transfer the cooked mac & cheese into an ovenproof dish. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned golden in colour. Serve hot.
Notes
Cooking time excludes the oven-baking part, which is optional
Evaporated milk offers a creamier texture and richer flavour than regular milk whilst not being as overly rich as using cream.
It is important to reserve the pasta water for making the sauce as it helps to loosen the sauce up and prevents the mac & cheese from getting dry.
If unable to find pre-mixed cheddar cheese and mozzarella, use 1 cup of each for the recipe
Feel free to switch up the ratios of the cheeses or try a different cheese combination. I'd recommend keeping the mature cheddar cheese and play around with different cheese types and ratios to yield different flavours to your own liking.