Doctors recommend introducing solid food to babies after they turn 4 or 6 months old. The food has to be soft, easily digestible, tasty and mildly flavoured. The sooner we introduce solid food to babies, the more it will become easier for babies to shift from milk to solid food thereby making them more healthy and increasing their immunity.
Here I am sharing 5 recipes of baby food that I gave to my daughter when she was a toddler. These baby friendly recipes are easy to make, easy to swallow and digestible for babies.
MOONG DAL AND CARROT KHICHDI FOR BABIES
I started giving this khichdi to my baby after she turned 6 months old. It is nutritious and easy to make.
Ingredients
1/2 cup rice
1 tbsp moong dal
1/2 carrot finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped onions
1 tsp ghee
a pinch of red chilli powder
a pinch of turmeric powder
salt to taste
Method
Wash and soak the rice and moong dal in water for about half an hour.
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add onions and saute till they turn soft.
Now add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, carrots and salt to taste and mix well.
Add rice and moong dal and mix well.
Now add 3 cups of water and close the lid
Pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles.
Mash it after opening the lid.
Serve warm.
Note:
If you are going to feed this khichdi to a baby who is over one year, then there is no need to mash it.
This is a healthy and delicious soup which is very good for your baby's joints and it also helps in bone development.
4 to 5 pieces of mutton with bone
8 small cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped onions
1 small tomato deseeded and pureed
1 tsp coriander powder
1/8 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
1/8 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste
3 or 4 cups water
Method
Take a pressure cooker, add onions, garlic cloves, red chilli powder, coiander powder, turmeric powder, salt, tomato puree, mutton pieces, coriander leaves and water.
Close the lid and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles.
Mix with rice and feed your baby.
Alternately you can also strain with a strainer and feed you baby as a soup.
RAVA UPMA FOR BABIES
This simple recipe is specially meant for babies who are less than a year old. It requires very few ingredients and gets cooked really fast. A perfect dish to turn to when your baby is hungry and you do not have much time.
Ingredients
1/4 cup sooji/ rava/ semolina
2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of chopped coriander leaves
Method
Take water and salt in a pan and bring to a boil.
When it starts boiling add semolina and stir well such that there are no lumps.
Continue cooking and stirring for a few minutes till most of the water has evaporated and large bubbles are seen.
Now reduce the heat to low, close a lid and let it cook for a couple of minutes.
Check if the semolina is well cooked and soft.
Switch off the gas, allow it to cool and serve warm to your baby
SWEET UPMA FOR BABIES
When you wish to cook a quick and different meal for your baby then this sweet upma would be your perfect choice. This upma is mildly sweet and I have added cashew nut powder to it, to make it more healthy and flavourful.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sooji/ rava/ semolina
3 cups water
3 tsp sugar
1 tsp cashew nut powder
1 tsp cashew nut powder
Method
Take water and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil.
When it starts boiling add semolina and stir well such that there are no lumps.
Add cashew nut powder and continue cooking and stirring for a few minutes till most of the water has evaporated and large bubbles are seen.
Now reduce the heat to low, close a lid and let it cook for a couple of minutes.
Check if the semolina is well cooked and soft.
Switch off the gas, allow it to cool and serve warm to your baby.
RICE PONGAL FOR 1 YEAR OLDS
Rice Pongal is a healthy and filling breakfast for babies who are more than one year old. Here I have added a few peppercorns for flavour as babies have to start getting used to peppers in small quantities. But these peppercorns along with curry leaves and cumin seeds (also added) have to be removed while feeding your baby.
Ingredients
1/2 cup rice
1 tbsp moong dal
5 black peppercorns
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
2 tsp ghee
4 curry leaves
2 1/2 cups water
Method
Wash and soak the rice and moong dal in water for at least half an hour.
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add black pepper corns, cumin seeds and saute for a few seconds.
Nest add curry leaves, turmeric powder and salt and mix well.
Drain the water and add the rice and moong dal to the pressure cooker and stir for a few seconds.
Add water and close the lid of the cooker.
Pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles and switch off the gas.
Allow the steam to escape and open the lid.
Transfer the pongal to a bowl and wait till it cools down a bit.
Serve warm.
Note:
If you are feeding a baby who is less than a year old, you can omit the peppercorns, cumin seeds and curry leaves and make the pongal following the same recipe.
GHEE PONGAL FOR 2 YEAR OLDS
Pongal is a great breakfast dish for babies. This recipe of pongal is ideal for kids who are over 20 months. I started giving this pongal to my baby when she was 1 and half year old and she instantly liked it. Remember to take away the peppercorns and curry leaves while feeding your baby and ask them to chew each bite well as we have added cashews. We need to introduce coarse food to babies at this stage, hence do not ground the cashews to a powder.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups pongal rice
¼ cup moong dal
Salt to taste
3 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 ½ tsp black peppercorns
3 tbsp chopped cashews
1/8 tsp turmeric powder
8 to 10 curry leaves
Method
Soak pongal rice and moong dal in water for about half an hour. Drain the water from them and keep ready.
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add cumin seeds, peppercorns and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds.
Add cashews and turmeric powder and saute till the cashews turn golden.
Add 6 and half cups water, rice, dal and salt and mix well.
Close the lid and pressure cook for 4 whistles.
Switch off the gas and wait till the steam has come out.
Open the lid of the cooker and add a few tsps of ghee on top and serve hot with tomato chutney and sambar.
Note
If your kid does not like spicy sambar, you can dilute your sambar with water while feeding your baby.
If you like this post please post a comment in the comment section below and share this post through your social media channels. Like us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google plus for updates on new posts.
That is such a helpful post Amina and the recipes are perfect for delicate small tummies :)
ReplyDelete