Tantalizing Indian Baby Food Ideas

Chicken And Sweet Potato Curry

1 chicken breast, cut into 1″ pieces.

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

4 oz (1/2 cup) red lentils

one small onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp safflower oil

pinch cinnamon

pinch cardamom

pinch cumin

pinch coriander

pinch turmeric

16 – 24 fl oz (2-3 cups) water

1. Heat the oil and fry the onions with the cinnamon until tender.
2. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown.
3. Add the potatoes and spices and stir well.
4. Finally, add the water and lentils and cook for about 30 mins, until the lentils are soft. You may need to add extra water towards the end of the cooking time, to prevent the curry from becoming too dry.

Serve with brown or white overcooked rice.

You can find more lentil baby food recipes here – including a yummy recipe for dhal.

Vegetable Korma

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 small onion, chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and diced

2 oz (1/4 cup) cauliflower, diced

2 oz (1/4 cup) peas, fresh or frozen

1 small white potato, peeled and diced

2 tsp unsweetened dessicated coconut

2 tsp tomato puree

4 fl oz (1/2 cup) water

pinch ground ginger

pinch cumin

pinch turmeric

pinch coriander

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion and carrot for a few minutes, until tender.
2. Add the tomato puree and the spices, stirring continuously and cook for 2 mins.
3. Add the potato, cauliflower, peas, coconut and water, then bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat, then simmer, covered, for about 20 mins.
5. Mash well and serve.

Chicken Korma

1 chicken breast, cut into 1″ pieces

2 tbsp safflower oil

1 tbsp ghee*

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped

pinch ground ginger

6 whole cloves

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1 bay leaf

pinch ground coriander

2 oz (1/4 cup) plain, unsweetened yogurt

1 fl oz (1/8 cup) water

1 fl oz (1/8 cup) milk

*Ghee is clarified butter, sometimes known as “drawn butter”. It is normal butter that has been treated to remove its’ “non-fat” elements. This process makes it a better cooking medium. To make ghee, melt regular butter gently in a strong saucepan. You will see the butter-fat separating and the milk solids sinking to the bottom of the pan. A white foam will form on top – simply turn off the heat and remove the foam with a spoon. You are then left with clarified butter!

1. In a large frying pan, heat the butter and oil, then saute the onions for about 10 mins, until tender.
2. Add the cardamom, ginger, cloves and bay leaf.
3. Saute until the onions are brown (about 5 mins).
4. Slowly add the yogurt and coriander to the pan, stirring constantly.
5. Once the yogurt is absorbed, add the chicken and cook until golden.
6. Add the water, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 mins.
7. Stir in the milk, then remove from the heat.
8. Allow to sit for a while – this improves the flavour.
9. Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf and cloves before mashing and serving with white or brown rice (overcook the rice slightly, so it is nice and mushy for baby).

Indian Vegetable Soup

1 potato, peeled and diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 medium beet, diced

1 turnip, peeled and diced

1 small onion, chopped

2 oz (1/4 cup) peas, fresh or frozen

2oz (1/4 cup) green beans, chopped

2 oz (1/4 cup) cauliflower, diced

1 cabbage leaf, chopped

pinch cumin

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp butter

32 fl oz (4 cups) water

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
2. Add the cumin and bay leaf and cook for 2 mins.
3. Add the vegetables and cook very gently for 10 mins, stirring occasionally.
4. Pour in the water and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat and simmer until all the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf.
6. If the dish is too textured for your baby, then simply puree in a food processor.