Rice porridge is excellent for babies as it is easy to digest, plain and basic.
Kichidi can be prepared in different consistencies, from thin to porridge like, or to a thicker and dryer form, depending on the amount of water added. This is one of first food I introduced to my son when he started solids, and now as a toddler, he still loves it.
Salt and sugar is generally not recommended until one year. In the recipe below, it has been skipped
Ingredients:
- 4 tbsp long grain white rice
- 2 tbsp moong dal/masoor dal
- 1/2 tsp jeera powder
- 1 cooked carrot puree.
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- water as needed
following ingredients added for older babies –
- 1 tsp homemade cashew powder
- 1 tsp homemade almond powder
- 1 tsp jaggery
- 1/4 tsp pepper powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1 tbsp grated coconut
Preparation:
- Soak dal in water for 45 mins. wash and rinse dal and rice.
- In the pressure cooker, add dal rice, jeera powder, turmeric, carrot puree, and mix well. Add rest of the ingredients for older babies (10 months and older)
- Add water(1 cup water used in the recipe) and cook until soft .
- Remove from the flame, transfer to a bowl, and serve when it has cooled down.
Notes:
- why soak dal : the outer shell of lentils (and some beans) contains anti-nutrients that can interfere with digestion, so soaking helps to neutralise the anti- nutrients. You can soak the dal overnight too.
- Cooked carrot puree gives the hint of sweetness to the porridge.
- I have used most of the ingredients in the powder form for babies. Dry roast the cashews and almonds, and then put them in the mixer for powdering it.
- cashews and pepper in the pepper above in the picture is only for decoration.
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