Dalia (broken wheat) is our favourite go-to comfort meal. Dalia is high in fibre content, a rich source of protein and is easy for digestion. Dalia has been used as baby food and easily mixes with water or milk. It has also been used as weaning food as it is free of a strong taste or smell. When we gave it to our little one, we kept it simple without any spices.
Dalia khichdi can be a nutritious and easy-to-digest option for infants. Here's a simple recipe suitable for babies:
Ingredients:
- Dalia
- Ghee
- Jeera/cumin seeds
- Water
- Coriander leaves/dhaniya
Optional Ingredients
- Chopped carrots, peas, beans, capsicum, corn
Cooking Time: 5-7mins
Instructions:
- Roast Dalia: Lightly roast the dalia in low heat, stir it occasionally to avoid any over-roasting.
- Prepare Base: Heat ghee, add jeera to the pan and sauté for some time.
- Add Dalia: Add the roasted dalia to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes on low heat.
- Add Water: Slowly add water to the dalia while stirring continuously. Cook until dalia is soft and the mixture reaches a porridge-like consistency.
- Garnish: Garnish with very finely chopped coriander leaves for enhancing taste.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the dalia khichdi to cool to a suitable temperature for your infant and serve in a baby-friendly bowl.
Use of optional ingredients
- Prepare the vegetables: Roast the finely chopped vegetables in the ghee after you add jeera/cumin and then continue with the recipe above.
We get the wheat ground into finer pieces for our little one and into a coarse structure for use at home, which is otherwise available in the market as well. When we want something light at home, we make dalia khichdi. It's easy to digest and gentle on the stomach. We add veggies and spices to make it tasty, but that is for us and not our little one.
Important Points
- Ensure that the vegetables if being used are very finely chopped, if possible steam and mash them before use. Also, introduce the vegetables one at a time to test if your little one has any allergies.
- Always consult with your paediatrician before introducing new foods to your baby's diet, especially if they are less than six months old.