Now that Summer is here, I wanted to share a nice, summery recipe that’s perfect for the whole family – including babies! This recipe was written by Dietitian Emma Green, from Emmasfoodstories and it’s ideal for both kids and adults!
Packed with flavour and nutrients, this dish is a perfect alternative to a takeaway and makes a perfect meal for two or for all the family on a warm weekend!
One thing I’m a huge advocate for, is using herbs and spices in baby’s meals. Cooking doesn’t have to be bland when prepping for baby without salt and sugar. Using spices is a great way to add flavours, to broaden your baby’s palate and even of exposing them to a wider variety of tastes and flavours from the word go! If your baby hasn’t tried spices in their food yet, it’s best to start off with small amounts, as their tiny tums may need to adjust to the flavours.
This recipe uses milder spices, so it can work for all the family, but of course you can always add a little extra if you prefer. It can be served to babies from 6 months – you could either blend it all up together or offer some of the vegetables as finger foods, depending on your babies skills and what they’re used to already.
As well as all the extra flavour from the spices, there’s plenty of tasty ingredients in this curry too. Perfect for using up leftovers and also adding extra vitamins and minerals into the dish. The major source of protein in this dish comes from the chickpeas, but you could also add chicken or white fish instead.
Makes 2 (One adult and one baby)
(If you don’t have all of these ingredients, don’t worry – use whichever veggies, herbs and spices you have!)
What Do You Need?
- 1 small onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1tsp of turmeric
- 1tsp of paprika
- 1tsp ground coriander
- 1tsp cumin
- 200g chickpeas
- 1 large white potato, peeled
- 6 large florets of cauliflower
- 200g tinned tomatoes
- 1 cup of spinach
- 1tsp vegetable oil
- 100g basmati rice (dry weight)
Optional
- A pinch of paprika for the adults
Let’s get started!
- Finely chop the onion and add to a deep frying pan/saucepan with the vegetable oil on a medium heat.
- Crush or finely chop the clove of garlic and add to the onions. Mix well and cook until the mix has completely softened (and even starting to crisp up a little around the edges).
- Time to add the chickpeas! Fry them off with the onions and garlic for around 2 minutes.
- It’s time to add the spices! Add them all to the pan and ensure the mix is all coated evenly.
- Chop the potato and the cauliflower into small pieces. Add these to the pan and mix well.
- Time to add the tomatoes, mix well and then turn your heat down low, pop on a lid and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.
- Whilst the curry mix is simmering, it’s a perfect time to prepare your rice. Rinse your rice in a colander to remove any extra starch (that makes the rice go sticky) and then add to a pan of boiling water. Once the water has started to ferociously bubble, turn it down to a low heat. Then pop on a lid, leave to simmer for 15 minutes whilst stirring occasionally.
- Once your curry mix has cooked, turn off the heat and add in the spinach. This allows the spinach to wilt slightly, but not too much so it preserves its nutrients and flavours.
- Drain your rice, then serve! A smaller portion for baby and a perfectly portioned size for you!
For more, recipes perfect from the start of weaning…
My book How to Wean Your Baby has plenty that the whole family can enjoy!
