Moong Dal Soup for babies as a weaning food

 Introducing of soups to babies as weaning food helps in making the meal a full one. Dal soup or vegetable soup are a wholesome meal by itself. Moong Dal is very healthy digestive food. 

Ingredients:
Split Yellow Moong Dal - 1/4 cup
Salt - a pinch
Pepper powder - a pinch (optional)

Method:
Pressure cook the dal for about 5 to 6 whistles. Open mash and let it cool, Grind it to a smooth paste and add 1 cup of water and make it to a liquid consistency. Add salt and pepper powder to it. Feed the babies during lunch time or during morning breakfast or as inbetween meal in the morning. 

Variations:
Can add a twig of curry leaves or coriander leaves or a few mint leaves while pressure cooking. Ensure they are removed fully and not ground along with the dal. 
Adding pepper is definitely optional.

Dalia Porridge - Recipe for infants

Dalia always makes a complete satisfied meal. Porridge made out of Dalia helps the babies have a satisfying meal.

Ingredients:
Dalia - 2 tbsp
Dates - 2 nos
Milk - 1 cup

Method:
Chop dates to fine pieces after deseeding it. Pressure cook it with dalia in 1/2 cup of water for 3 whistles. Blend it with 1/2 cup of milk to a fine paste.

In a hard bottom vessel add the remaining milk and the ground paste and mix well so that no lumps are formed. Serve luke warm.

While serving it to the babies, ensure atleast 1 tbsp of water is given after every 4 or 5 tbsp of this porridge.

For older kids and teens, add 1 cup of milk to the ground paste and serve warm or chilled as per their taste.

How to cook Mashed Rice for infants

One of the best weaning foods that is recommended by most peadiatricians is Rice Mash. It is easily digestible and more hygenic. Many a times, this mashed rice is ground to a fine paste in mixer which is not advisable. It have to be cooked very softly and mashed thoroughly and if it is the first food it can be diluted with breast milk too. 


Ingredients:
Rice - 1/4 cup
Water - 1 cup
Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Method: Wash rice thoroughly and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles. Remove from cooker and mash it with a flat bottom spoon along with ghee. It have to be of a very fine paste and smooth consistency. Feed it luke warm.

Baby food

Any food that is introduced to the infants/babies, which is other than breast milk (or infant formula),  between the age group of four months and 2 years are called Baby Food. Different varities, textures, tastes have to be introduced to the infants so that they learn to eat and digest all types of food. Initially, when they dont have any teeth and when it is their first food, the food need to be soft, liquidy and soft in texture so that they just swallow it. Babies start intaking solids or baby food when they dont get filled up just with the breast feeding. And it is always better to prepare food for the kids at home rather than going for the tinned ones. One of the first food for a baby could be Puzhungalarisi Kanji (Boiled rice Porridge). This makes a whole some food for the babies. Initially any food have to be introduced to the babies one at a time and one taste should be retained atleast for a week's time. Now a days, doctors advise to give foods that are taken by the family normally. All at the same time, one should keep in mind that till the first 6 months, just breast feeding is enough for the babies.

There will be a series of posts following this on Child care and recipes that babies, kids and teens will like.

Apple Milkshake - First recipe for toddlers and kids

This is a great recipe to introduce fruits for kids. This also can be given with milk for school going kids as a breakfast or evening drink.

Ingredients:
Apple - 1
Badam - 1 no
Cashewnut - 1 no
Honey - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Cut apple into pieces and pressure cook it. Grind it to a fine paste with Badam and Cashew. Transfer it to a feeding bowl and then add honey and mix well

Note: It is better to check with your pead to add Badam and cashew to the apple while giving it to toddlers.