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Vegetable & Coconut Korma for Baby




























As you would expect, I cook all of Cooper's meals myself. The only thing I buy for him are pouches of organic fruit. I think it is nice for him to be able to enjoy summer berries through the winter and he loves them. They cleverly add some quinoa to the fruit mixture and they are rather delicious. Oh and baby rice cakes, which he also loves.

I was making this curry and the smells were winding their way around my heart and I was thinking, "I would really like to have this for dinner", which made me think perhaps I should start blogging some of my baby recipes.

I added couscous to the curry, so it is ready to serve when it is heated up, which is much easier for Cooper's childminder and me too, come to that. I used couscous instead of rice, because I am nervous of re-heating rice for Cooper. I know if it is cooled quickly and then heated though well it should be ok, but I prefer not to if I am freezing the meal.

This recipe for curry was enough for 5 portions. One for dinner and four for the freezer. Mind you my baby is a bit of a greedy gannet, although you would never know it because he is quite a slender wee chap. You would be shocked at how much he eats in a day. I will give you an example of what a day's food would look like for Cooper.

Pre-Breakfast: One hour breastfeed (these will be ending soon, believe me)

Breakfast: Large bowl of porridge made with water and raisins. I add a glug of milk and half a mashed up banana when it is ready, to sweeten it and cool it down. He eats the other half of banana whilst he is waiting. A drink of water.

Snack: Toast, a pear, ½ jam jar (easy to store it in) of freshly made fruit smoothie, water

Lunch: Pasta and vegetables in a cheese and spinach sauce, squeezy fruit pouch, 1 breadstick, water

Snack: Follow-on milk or if I am day off, breastfeed, a few chunks of melon and kiwi fruit, 2 baby rice cakes, the rest of his smoothie, water.

Dinner: Vegetable & coconut korma with Couscous, rice pudding, water and then sometimes a breadstick or a couple of rice cakes whilst we are finishing our dinner.

Supper: 30-40 minute breastfeed


Can you believe that? That's more than I eat most days. It's crazy! Where does he put it all? I bet he would eat more if I let him.



















Vegetable & Coconut Korma for Baby

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 medium carrots, finely diced
1 large field mushroom, finely diced
4 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander or a small handful of fresh, finely chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1 ¼ cups water
1 medium potato, very finely diced
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1⁄3 cup desiccated coconut
½ cup couscous
1 cup milk or soya milk


Saute the onion and carrots until soft, then add the mushroom and cook for another couple of minutes.

Add the tomato puree and herbs and stir.

Add the potato, chickpeas, coconut and water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the vegetales are tender. Check to see if it needs a little more water as it is simmering.

Add the couscous and milk and leave to simmer for another 10 minutes until the couscous has fluffed up.

5 portions for a 10-12 month old baby

22 comments

  1. loved this simple but delicious recipe !

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  2. Lucky baby! It's got sophisticated taste.

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  3. Cooper is really the little gourmet, isn't he? I agree that he eats a startling amount of food for such a small tyke, but who could blame him?

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  4. It's quite a mild curry Priya, but rather nice, especially once the flavours have had a chance to develop.

    I do try to add some herbs and spices when I am cooking for him Brittany, I want him to get used to the flavours.

    Hi Andrea, I am always astonished at how much he can eat :)

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  5. Copper is a lucky little guy! Pretty sure I never got Korma for baby food lol

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  6. A well fed and healthy baby.He must devour all the lovely home cooking.

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  7. Jac, is there some specific problem with reheating rice for under-two's? I've never heard of that. (Of course, the babies of my acquaintance don't eat gourmand meals like yours!)

    Hahaha. He passes out in his food, just like my sister did. We have tons of pictures of her doing that all the way 'til she was in school.

    And Coop doesn't eat that much; he's just working on being taller than both of you. You have to take a good, long head-start on that type of thing.

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  8. Cooper sounds like a great little eater - no wonder it sends him to sleep in the highchair - bless! I remember when Sylvia couldn't get enough baby rice cakes.

    Good luck with reducing the breastfeeding and hope he keeps on with the curries - was talking to a mum today who was pleased her baby was eating the same spicy food as them each night at Sylvia's age. I wish I could say the same (though it is not the spiciness she doesn't like, it is too much flavour and sauce)

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  9. Hey Chele, I am just trying to give him plenty of variety and get him used to what we eat.

    He is a very good eater Simply Food, but he has his off days when the teething is particularly bad.

    Hi Tanita, There is always a danger with re-heating rice, although if you are careful it is ok, but I just don't want to take any chances with Cooper when he is so little. I do give him rice, but don't freeze it. You can read about it here.

    I have always though he would be tall, as he has quite long feet :)

    I know Johanna, I just hope he doesn't reach that stage when they start to become more fussy, as he is pretty good at the moment. At least Sylvia eats plenty of fruit and veg, even if she isn't keen on sauces:)

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  10. The more he eats, the taller he'll be... and it's not as if he's overweight.

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  11. LOL, I had the same with Aditi... most days she ate better food than me.

    Cooper's at the best age, they'll eat anything put in front of them, and relish it. Then they turn two and all sorts of food are the enemy. Sigh!!!

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  12. Asleep at the dinner table. SO cute.

    He is really eating a lot. A little growing boy. So sweet. And as much nutrition as you can pack in them before they hit the two's or three's or four's when they start getting more picky! Bravo for you making all his food. I did too. Its a feeling of love isnt it?

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  13. love the baby meal menu! sounds delicious, maybe thats one reason your lil one loves to eat! I should make my toddler's meals more interesting! lol

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  14. Always having a healthy food for your baby. Thanks for this great idea!

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  15. You are such a good mommy! I fed all three of mine right out of the Gerber jars! Oh well, they all ended up healthy despite me!

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  16. Hi Jacqueline; Are you a follower of http://www.mellowmummy.co.uk/ by any chance? This is my daughter's blog. She is a first-time Mum who is very keen on food as well, so she has thought a lot about weaning etc. Sounds like you and she have a lot in common...

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  17. OK, I now have serious moomin spoon envy...yes, I'm jealous of Cooper's cutlery!!!

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  18. Your little guy certainly does have a big appetite! Love the korma - I would eat that for sure :)

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  19. Your little boy is sooo cute! This korma looks very delicious, no wonder that he eats it easily!! I would love to have some, too!!

    I have an award for you, please check on my page :-)

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  20. Wonderful to introduce him to all these flavours while he is so young.

    You are lucky he eats so well - all the good cooking :-)

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  21. Oh, don't be harsh on poor Cooper, he's a growing lad and needs all that lovely nutritious food ;) Sounds as though he has a great diet - well done you.

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  22. Can I just say your baby is adorable! That photo with his little head down just warmed my heart.

    You are a dedicated mum to make all his food home made :)

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I love reading comments, so thank you for taking the time to leave one. Unfortunately, I'm bombarded with spam, so I've turned on comment moderation. I'll publish your comments as soon as I can and respond to them. Don't panic, they will disappear when you hit publish. Jac x