Apple ragi halwa is one of the easiest and healthy ragi recipes that one can include in the diet. It makes a good breakfast not only for babies & toddlers but to everyone. Ragi being rich in iron, the iron levels are absorbed well by our body when accompanied with a vitamin C food like apple or pear. This apple ragi halwa is one of the best health food that is easy to make and convince your loved ones to enjoy it since it tastes very good.
This ragi halwa can also be made to a thin porridge consistency. This is suitable to babies over 6 months. If you intend to introduce solids to your baby please consult your pediatrician first. You can also check this post on Introducing solids to babies.
If you haven’t introduced apple and ragi earlier, then you will have to introduce them as 2 separate foods following a 3 day test rule. If both of these go well they you can try apple ragi.
You can also find more information on how to introduce ragi to babies here. It is a detailed post on how to tackle problems related to ragi for babies. you can also check this post on how to make sprouted ragi flour.
Apple ragi halwa recipe for babies, toddlers & kids
Apple ragi halwa
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 3 to 4 tbsp ragi flour or finger millet flour
- 1 cup water or more water if needed
- 1 apple , small to large . (large apple for toddlers)
- 0.5 tsp ghee
- organic jaggery as needed (avoid for babies under 1 year, refer notes)
How to make the recipe
- Wash and peel the skin of apple. Core and chop to pieces and add them to a blender and puree. You can blend it coarsely for toddlers. Set this aside.
- Stir in 1 cup of water with flour in a pan. Cook on a low to medium flame stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and turns glossy.
- Cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the stove. Rest for another 2 mins.
- Add the apple puree, ghee and sweetener if using. Stir to mix well.
- Cool down and serve apple ragi when it is warm.
NUTRITION
Notes
Preparation for apple ragi halwa
1. Wash apple, peel and core it. Chop and add them to a blender.
2. For babies below 1 year old make a smooth puree. Set this aside. For toddlers you can try making it slightly chunky. They may love to bite the chunks.
3. Add 3 tbsp flour to a pan or pot.
Making apple ragi halwa
4. Stir in 1 cup water. The mixture should be lump free. If using jaggery or palm jaggery, melt it in 1 cup warm water and filter to the pot. (refer the notes for details). But this halwa can be made without any sweetener, just use sweet variety apples.
5. Cook till it thickens, constantly stirring to prevent formation of lumps. Cook covered for another 2 mins on a low flame.
6. Switch off the stove. Cover and leave it for 2 minutes.
7. Add apple puree and ghee. Since my kid is already 4, i used organic brown sugar and little cinnamon powder. Read the notes for details on sweetener.
8. Mix it and stir. I added the ghee now since i forgot at the previous step.
Ragi apple halwa is ready. For toddlers who can chew nuts, few roasted and chopped cashews can be added.
How much apple ragi porridge for babies?
This is one of the question that most of you ask, What is the right amount to serve for my baby? All babies are not the same, some can eat solids really well while some don’t. The below measurements are just rough guidelines.
1 tsp ragi flour with 1/4 small apple for 6 and 7 months old babies. (may not finish full if 6 months old)
1 tbsp flour with 1/2 small apple for 8 month (if your baby can finish, next increase the quantity of apple to 3/4, next attempt to increase the quantity of flour to 1.5 tbsps)
2 tbsp. for 10 months plus
3 tbsp. for 1 year plus with one large apple
4 tbsp for 18 months to 4 years old with a large apple
suggestion : make the quantity mentioned in the recipe card. Snce it is very hard to cook small portions of food like a tsp and it may also get burnt if you are not careful. The excess food can be had by a older kid or by the mother, after making your own adjustments to it.
The measures i gave above are just for you to know if you have fed a good quantity. Once cooked the quantity of porridge will be almost 3 to 4 times the amount of dry flour Plus the quantity of apple puree. So you can scale the cooked portion easily and feed.
Sandhya says
1. What all fruits can be added instead of apple? Can we add mango in this recipe
2. Can we add milk with fruit in this recipe.
swasthi says
Hi Sandya
Instead of apple you can add banana or sapota. Mango and papaya when combined with ragi sometimes causes diarrhea in babies & toddlers. You can experiment with small quantity. Avoid feeding or mixing milk & fruit anytime.This causes stomach upset and hampers the digestion.
Sunjula Daniel says
I am a mother of a one-year old and your food recipes for baby are such a great revelation to me! Thanks so much for penning them down and sharing them.. Such a wonderful contribution to society and a huge help for moms who are clueless about what to cook and how to cook for their babies. Great job!!
swasthi says
Hi Sunjula,
You are welcome. Thanks a lot for the motivating words. They mean a lot to me. Hope your baby enjoys the food.
🙂
Kajal says
Between 11 to 12 she need milk at night. Now what to give in This place in diaherria.
Kajal says
Hi swasthi,
I give her milk 3 times a day. What can be given at night in place of milk in diaherria. As soon as I stop antibiotic she again looses her stomach and gets diaherria. Don’t know what is wrong. Pl reply asap
swasthi says
Hi Kajal
Looks like she has a totally disturbed tummy. I guess suggestion from a doctor is best
Kajal Vaidya says
Hi swasthi
Hope you have received my mail on your Gmail account.
Again her stomach has gone bad. Is it ok if I am giving her kansar lot khichadi or I should give only broken wheat. I am trying to figure out what is going wrong. Pl help.
swasthi says
Hi Kajal, i haven’t checked today’s mails yet. Will reply tonight. But it is better to avoid wheat products during stomach upset as they are hard to digest. I will give u a detailed plan in the mail.
Kajal Vaidya says
Also pl specify the quantity and time gap between each feed. Cause that also could be the culprit. What the actual pproblem is whatever she eats within few mins her stomach.looks empty like she has had nothing. And so keeps on eating and eating. And also note I give her one boiled apple and one banana evening daily. No other fes
swasthi says
Dear kajal
I replied your mail the same day. Just waiting for your reply so that i can tell you the details for both of them. I guess she gets bloated. Does she walk and play enough. For a good digestion even physical activity is very much needed. Meanwhile try giving her roasted and powdered jeera with jaggery. Add jaggery to a blender and make a fine powder. Add some grated jaggery and blend well. Both come together, then make small balls. Each ball can be approximately 3/4 tsp powder. Give this three times in a day 30 mins before food. After 15 mins little warm water to drink. Both jeera and jaggery to be used in equal quantities. You can give upto 7 days continuously, stop for 7 days then start again. You can also add some elaichi and roasted saunf/ fennel for flavor if she doesn’t like. Will wait for ur mail