Khichri (moong dal)
You will require 4 tablespoons of rice and 2 tablespoons of dehusked moong dal. Prepare khichri by cooking rice and dal together, with a pinch of salt (added to taste). Once khichri is cooked, you can add 2 teaspoons of ghee, butter or cooking oil to the final preparation. You can also add vegetables like carrots or spinach to the khichri and then mash the mixture. If you want to add spinach, first boil, mash and strain it, and then add this puree to the khichri and stir it. Cool the khichri and serve lukewarm.
When the baby is still young, you should mash the entire mixture in a blender so that it is easy for the baby to swallow. You can gradually increase the consistency to a semi-solid state so that the child’s palate starts getting used to regular foods.
Mashed boiled rice with milk (similar to kheer):
This is a simple recipe to ensure that the child gets rice (for carbohydrates) and milk (for calcium). Mix 1 cup of boiled rice with 1 cup of milk and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Cook it on the gas for 10 minutes (keep stirring) and allow the mixture to thicken. Cool and serve lukewarm. You can also add badaam (almonds) scapings and elaichi powder for taste.
Pulav
First prepare the base for the pulav by sauting onions, cumin and mustard seeds in oil. Then add onions, potatoes, peas, carrots and any other vegetables and cook them with a little water until they are tender. Once the vegetables are cooked, add boiled rice and heat mixture for a couple of minutes. Cool and serve warm.
