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

Vegetable

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Mixed vegetable pakoras

I just tried this simple and easy mixed vegetable pakoras. I added cabbage,onions and methi to the flour. Here is the ingredients for the pakoras.

Ingredients
1 onion
4 tbl spoon shredded cabbage
4 tbl spoon methi leaves
2-3 sprigs of curry leaves
3/4 cup Besan flour
3/4 cup Rice flour
3 tsp chilli powder
water to knead
oil to fry
salt to taste

Method

1. Cut the onions into small pieces
2. Shred the cabbage and cut the methi leaves
3. In a bowl add the onions,cabbage,methi,besan flour,rice flour,salt and chilli powder and mix well.
4. Add water little by little till it becomes like a dough.
5. Add little more extra water to make it sticky and to make the flow easy to drop in oil.
6. In a pan keep the oil and once boiled add the pakoras and allow them to deep fry till it turns golden brown and crispy.
7. Serve them with sauce.

Vegetable

2

Mixed Podi Rice

This rice tastes as similar as vangi bath. The ingredients is as follows

Ingredients
2 tbl spoon Channa Dhal
2 tbl spoon urad dhal
2 tbl spoon Dhania
1 tsp sesame seeds
2 tbl spoon dry coconut powder
3-4 red chillies
2 sprigs of curry leaves
1 tsp Asaefotida

1 capsicum
2 tbl spoon peas
1 onion- (optional)
1 sliced carrot
Little oil to stir fry the vegetables

To temper:
Mustard seeds
Jeera
Curry leaves

Salt to taste
1 1/2 cup boiled rice

Method

1. Boil the rice and keep aside.
2. In a pan add 2 tsp spoon of oil and mustard seeds,jeera and curry leaves. Allow it to splutter.
3. Then add onions and fry till it turns transparent-(optional)
4. Add all the vegetables and allow it to cook
5. In another small pan add a drop of oil and add the other ingredients and fry for a while
6. Grind them into a smooth powder and add to the vegetables
7. Finally add salt and mix the boiled rice along with the vegetables and powder and serve hot.

Vegetable

0

Vegetable Puffs

This recipe is petty easy to make in the US. I got the pastry sheets and just stuff cooked vegetables inside the sheets and bake the puff. This time i cooked little over time. That is why it has gone more darker. You can keep until 15 min.

Ingredients
Pastry sheet 1 no
Vegetables(Peas,carrot,potato and onion) 1 cup
Chilli Powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
salt to taste

Method
1. Defrost the pastry sheet for 1 min
2. In a drop of oil add all the vegetables and masalas and make a sabji.
3. Cut the pastry sheets into four
4. Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees.
5. Stuff the vegetables into one half of each of the four parts.
6. close the other half and stick at the edges
7. Keep in the oven for minimum 15 min or till it is cooked.
8. Serve 5 min after it's ready.

Vegetable

0

Rava Upma (Different style)

My mother's recipe. She calls the recipe as 'Brinji'. This is something different taste and for people who do not like from upma will surely like this style. I used to hate rava upma, but this method of rava upma tastes really good. If there is a time crunch in the morning and we have to take lunch to work. This is a very fast, easy and tasty recipe. I tried it today and came out well. Thanks to amma:-)

Ingredients:
Rava 1 cup
Peas 2 Tb spoon
Tomato 1 nos
Onion 2 Tb spoon
Green chilli 2 nos
Water 2 cups
Sambar powder 2 tsp(secret ingredient)
Salt to taste
Ghee to taste

To temper:
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dhal 1 tsp
Jeera 1 tsp
Oil

Method:

1. Fry the rava till golden brown and keep aside.
2. In a pan pour a 2 tsp of oil and add mustard seeds, urad dhal, jeera and allow it to splutter.
3. Add the onions, green chilli and fry till it turns transparent
4. Add tomato, peas and till cooked
5. Add water, salt, sambar powder and allow it to boil
6. Add the rava slowly and keep stirring simultaneously
7. Keep closed and cook for 5 min (stir in-between)
8. Add 2 tsp of ghee for good taste and smell..
9. Upma is ready to serve.
   

Alternative: you can also add 2 tsp of curd to the recipe for a different taste.

Vegetable

2

Vegetable Korma

After a long time, posting a dish. yesterday i made Chapathi and korma.

Ingredients:
Potato 1 Nos
Beans,Carrot,Corn,Peas and soya bean 1 cup
Onion 1 cut and 1 for grinding
Tomato 1
Bell Pepper 1
salt to taste

To grind:
Green Chillies 3
Cashew Nuts 3 Tb spoon
Khus Khus 1 tsp
onion 1
Cinnamon 1 small piece
Cardamon 1
Coconut grated 3 tsp
Cloves 2
Oil 1 tsp

Method:
Pour oil in a pan add all the ingredients that are to be grounded and fry for five min.
Grind into smooth paste
In a another pan, add 1 tsp oil and fry the cut onions.
Add tomato,bell pepper and fry till cooked
Boil the other vegetables and then add to tomato and bell pepper.
Add salt, ground paste and mix well till it thickens
Serve hot with chapathi's,Naan or Rice

Vegetable

2

Vegetable Rice

What you need:
Basmati Rice 1 cup
Vegetables(Potato,Beans,Corn,Onion,Beans,Peas) 1 cup
Cloves 2-3
Jeera 1 tsp
Ginger 1 inch
Green chillies 3
Salt to taste

• Cut 1/2 onion, ginger and grind to paste.
• Cut the other half onion into small pieces
• Soak basmati rice in water for 1/2 hour
• Fry Jeera,Cloves,cashew till golden brown
• Fry Onion(cut and ground) till golden brown
• Add the vegetables, chillies along and fry for sometime
• Add the Basmati rice,salt and fry for a minute
• Pour 2 1/2 cups of water and keep in cooker/Rice cooker
• tasty and simple vegetable rice is ready

Vegetable

1

Fried Rice

Wanna cook some rice when you are in a hurry? try this recipe.

1 pack of frozen mixed vegetable(carrot,beans,corn,peas)
1 onion
1 capsicum(optional)
1 tsp oil
1 1/2 cup rice
2 tsp pepper
salt to taste

1. Just fry onions in the oil till golden brown.
2. Fry mixed vegetable with the onion
3. Add rice with vegetables
4. Fry for a minute
5. Add salt
6. Then add 3 cups of water and cook the rice till done

Fried rice is ready...:-)

Variations:
You can add soya sauce, and any other vegetables if required.

Vegetable

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