Monday, May 21, 2012

One pot meal for Babies and Toddlers

We always think a lot of what to make for babies and toddlers. They always need or ask for variety. This is one such dish which contains all the necessary nutrients containing dhal (lentils), Rice, Veggies and mild spices. My son is now going to be 18 Months. I almost started giving this dish from his 9-10 Months of age.
This can be given to babies who have started eating solid food. It is very fast and easy to cook. We can also make variations with the couple of mix and match in combinations.

Ingredients
2 Table spoon Moong Dhal (split Green gram dhal without the skin)
1 cup Rice (I used Sona Masoori, any kind of rice can be used)
1 table spoon Olive oil or Ghee
2 1/2 cups Water (you can measure yourself based on what texture you want)
VEGETABLES
1/2 Tomato
1 table spoon cup peas
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1 tea spoon chopped onion
1/2 tea spoon Cilantro leaves
5-6 Raisins
1 table spoon yellow bell pepper (optional)
Chopped sweet potatoes (optional)
SPICES
Pinch of Cumin powder
Pinch of Aamchur powder (Dry Mango Powder) or freshly squeezed lime
Pinch of Coriander powder
Pinch of Ginger powder or paste (optional)
Pinch of Garam masala (Kids above 10-11 Months at least)
salt to taste

Method
  • In a pressure cooker or frying pan add Ghee and Onions and saute for few a minute.
  • Then add all the vegetables, spices and saute for a minute.
  • Add washed rice,moong dhal and salt.
  • Finally add required amount of water (I added 2 1/2 cups)and let it cook for up to 2-3 whistles.
  • (If you are not using pressure cooker, then add water in the pan and cover the lid for couple for minutes until the lentils and rice are well cooked and should be mushy.)
  • After the pressure is released from the pressure cooker, take a masher and mash well based on how mushy you want to serve for your child. (if you want you can add more ghee)
  • If your child has not started eating little chunky veggies. This can be pureed to a smooth paste.

Notes
You can choose veggies based on what your child likes and have started eating.
Spices can be avoided or added very mild. Even just a tiny bit of salt will taste good without any spices.[Kind of a variation]
Moong dhal is added  for easier digestion for the babies and kids. Usually Toor dhal is introduced later, since it is little slow in digestion.
We can make this dish by avoiding the dhal also. Just with plain rice and veggies.[This is another kind of variation]

This is one of the most nutritious food given to the babies or kids.

This is called 'One pot meal' because we add all the ingredients in pressure cooker. Once the pressure is released the dish is ready to eat.

This goes to Roma Sarma's 'My baby's Favorite Food'
and Healthy Morsels Baby and Toddler Food

17 comments:

Unknown said...

looks delicious and healthy for the little ones.

Priya Suresh said...

Excellent one pot meal.

Archana Vivek said...

Thank yo so much Priya Yallapantula and Priya.

Asiya Omar said...

Delicious pot meal.

Jayashree said...

Healthy and delicious.

Roma said...

hey! Thanks so much for submitting this healthy dish tot the baby food recipe event. I am sure it will be most helpful to all moms who want to quickly whisk a one-pot meal for their little ones.

Roma said...

hey! Thanks so much for submitting this healthy dish tot the baby food recipe event. I am sure it will be most helpful to all moms who want to quickly whisk a one-pot meal for their little ones.

schmetterlingwords said...

Hi Archana, this one pot meal looks very appealing and easy to prepare. A lovely dish for babies and elders alike. Thank you for linking this with Healthy Morsels - Baby and Toddler Foods :)

schmetterlingwords said...

Hi Archana, this one pot meal looks very appealing and easy to prepare. A lovely dish for babies and elders alike. Thank you for linking this with Healthy Morsels - Baby and Toddler Foods :)

schmetterlingwords said...

Hi Archana, this one pot meal looks very appealing and easy to prepare. A lovely dish for babies and elders alike. Thank you for linking this with Healthy Morsels - Baby and Toddler Foods :)

Roma said...

This is a very nutritious meal for babies. Thanks so much for sharing it with us at the baby food recipe event.

Roma said...

This is a very nutritious meal for babies. Thanks so much for sharing it with us at the baby food recipe event.

Lecker and Yummy Recipes said...

This is so easy to make and very rich in nutrients Thank you Archana for sharing this with us :)

Rose from Magpies Recipes said...

Hey Archana! I was just going to message you on facebook and saw your comment. How are you and the little one?

lubnakarim06 said...

Protein punch recipe for young little's....

Supriya's Rasoi said...

Hi Archana the khichdi looks very inviting. I am your new follower do visit my space in ur free time.

Kankana said...

One pot meals are always a comfort.

Recognitions

Recognitions
Healthy Morsels

Indian Cooking Challenge

Labels

Blogging Marathon (60) Sweet (38) Snack (24) Dessert (20) South Indian (17) Side Dish (15) Tiffin (13) Rice (11) postpartum diet (9) 5 Ingredient or less (8) Vegetable (8) milk (8) Kids (7) paneer (7) North Indian (6) Dosa (5) Fruits (5) Kids Delight (5) Navaratri (5) Potato (5) podi (5) Banana (4) Cakes (4) Chutney (4) Sambar (4) almond (4) cashew (4) spinach (4) Gujurati (3) Main Dish (3) Methi (3) Mini Bites (3) Pickle (3) Roti (3) Sundal (3) Tea(Chai) (3) chocolate (3) peas (3) Biscuits (2) Dhokla (2) Eggless baking (2) Figs (2) Gravy (2) Groundnuts (2) Juice (2) Ladoo (2) Milk Shake (2) Paratha (2) Payasam (2) Poriyal (2) Preserve (2) Rava (2) Summer Coolers (2) Thuvayal (2) Wholewheat (2) diwali (2) kootu (2) onion (2) tomato (2) Apple (1) Awards (1) Baby Food (1) Badam (1) Bajji (1) Baked (1) Beans (1) Berry (1) Beverages (1) Bhogi (1) Bisibela Bath (1) Blueberry (1) Bread (1) Breakfast (1) Capsicum (1) Carrot (1) Cherry (1) Chips (1) Condiments (1) Cookies (1) Coriander (1) Cumin (1) Drinks (1) Fenugreek seeds (1) Flax seeds (1) Food (1) Food after Delivery (1) Green (1) Halwa (1) Home (1) Home Remedies (1) Honey (1) ICC (1) Icecream (1) Indian (1) Jam (1) Karnataka Dishes (1) Kofta (1) Laadoo (1) Lemon (1) Maharashtrian (1) One Pot meal (1) Pasta (1) Pepper (1) Punjabi (1) Rasam (1) Sandwiches (1) Semiya (1) Smoothie (1) Soup (1) Spice (1) Sprouts (1) Starters (1) Strawberry (1) Sugar (1) Tamrind (1) Til (1) Watermelon (1) Yogurt (1) butter (1) date (1) dosai (1) http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifKids (1) idli (1) pear (1) pista (1) pizza (1) raisins (1) salad (1) sert (1) upma (1) vadai (1) walnut (1)