methi khichdi recipe for babies & toddlers – A moong dal khichdi is one of the best nutritious food for babies & toddlers. I have already shared a basic dal khichdi recipe here and a simple khichdi here. Today’s recipe is for those who like to use methi or palak instead of vegetables. This recipe is suitable even for a 6 month old baby. I suggest consulting a pediatrician first.
If you are a new reader to this blog, seeking baby food ideas, do check the complete list of Indian baby food recipes and chart here. You can also find a post on best foods for weight gain in babies & toddlers.
I get different kinds of questions from readers, I will try to share them, it may be helpful to new mothers. All the baby recipes i have shared on the blog suggest soaking grains, one common query is why soak when they can be cooked for few more whistles to soft cook the food? why soaking is needed? Soaking helps to break down the hard to digest components for easier digestion. Soaking also helps to release the nutrients for easier absorption. Slow cooked foods meaning foods cooked on a low flame always yield a good texture that babies like.
Cleaning and washing methi leaves or fenugreek leaves: I haven’t come across an easy way yet to clean the leafy greens, I inspect each leaf and then add them to a large pot filled with water, sprinkle sea salt over the leaves and set aside for a while. This helps to get rid of the pesticide residue. Rinse few times with fresh water and drain in a colander.
to make this methi khichdi recipe, i have used white ponni rice and moong dal. But for babies older than 8 months, one can use toor dal and half brown rice and half white rice. If using brown rice and toor dal, i suggest soaking them for about 1.5 to 2 hours. Soaked and cooked brown rice and lentils are most times even suitable to babies with colic. If the baby is unwell, do not feed leafy greens and even brown rice. You can try this moong dal soup when the baby is cranky or having teething problems.
I am not sharing step by step photos for this recipe since it is a simple one. The measurements i have mentioned below are good enough for a 18 month old toddler, scale down the recipe for younger babies. But i suggest making at least this quantity since making lesser than that is difficult to cook.
You can also add a small piece of carrot to this for older babies. Again adding too many kinds of veggies for a baby khichdi may not be a good idea. For babies below 6 to 8 months, use only one variety of leafy greens like palak or methi and add no other veggie. For babies older than 8 months, you can try adding a small piece of carrot to the methi khichdi.
methi khichdi recipe
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
How to make the recipe
- Wash, soak rice and dal for at least 30 to 60 minutes.
- Add water, cumin and begin to cook on a low flame.
- While the rice cooks, pluck the methi leaves. Do not include stalks since they are bitter sometimes.
- Add them to a bowl filled with water, sprinkle some sea salt. Rinse them few times. Drain off.
- When the rice is almost cooked, add finely chopped methi leaves. If needed add more water, i usually add 2 to 3 tbsp water. Cover the pressure cooker and cook on the lowest flame. Allow to whistle once. Make sure there is enough water in the cooker to prevent burning the methi khichdi.
- When the pressure is down, mash the rice well with a masher or with the bottom of a steel glass.
- Add rest of the ingredients. Mix and allow to cool down.
- Serve when the food is still warm. Warm foods digest better.
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Notes
methi leaves: For 6 months old- start with only 8 to 10 leaves. Every month you can add 5 to 6 leaves more. For 2 year old toddler, a fistful is a good quantity.
ghee: start with only a few drops for 6 months old.
Cumin and ajwain/ carom powder help in digestion. Ajwain may constipate some babies as it is very heaty and dehydrates. So use it only if your baby can tolerate and always use it with ghee. You can use a pinch of pepper powder, during monsoon or winters.
If you are new to cooking, follow my detailed step by step photo instructions for best results.
For fussy toddlers, you can try this method of making methi khichdi recipe.
1. Add ghee to the cooker, add cumin when it begins to splutter add ginger. Fry for a minute.
2. Add dal and rice, fry for 2 to 3 minutes for the dal to smell good. pour water and cook.
3. Rest to follow the steps mentioned in the recipe card.
GS says
hi, I have yet to try this recipe for my 16-month-old. Can I use frozen methi instead?
swasthi says
Fresh is best. If you can’t then yes use frozen
Bagi says
Hello,thanks for all ur recipes I found it very useful..and what kind of food can I give to my 8th month baby to cure her cold and cough…like as u said apple rice helps in curing cold…is there any other foods like that…!
swasthi says
Hi Bagi,
Any soups like dal soup, vegetable soup or rice soup are good
soma says
Thank all recpice.
swasthi says
welcome
Meena says
Thanks for sharing
jansyphilomina says
my 6 n a half month old baby is only 7 kg n she s luks vry thin n dull, but quite active… what can i give her to gain weight? thru out nite she s on breast milk. in the mor she tkes formula 90ml arund 7am,,, n arund 10 she hs hr breakfst which consisits of cerelac(wheat with dates). . in d aftrnun i gve hr veg khicdi n in d eve she hs formula 0f 90ml again n in d nite i finish it off wth cerlacs again n at arun 11.30 i gve her 90ml formula milk.. ds s hr shedule..
swasthi says
Hi Jansy,
Please follow this food chart for the feed timings and recipes. It helps to gain good weight.
Deepti says
Hi
My son is 1year old n his weight is 8kgs.Low weight. I give him everything n he eats too. But the prob is he poop after every solid feed.And he is not gaining weight. My paed suggested to start pediasure. I have started.. I don’t understand why is he not gaining weight. Pls comment.
His birth weight was 3.5kgs.
swasthi says
Hi Deepti,
In few babies it is very common to poop after every solid feed. But i also heard from my elders that it can be due to indigestion mostly due to very frequent feeds(mostly less than 2 hours). Have you tried yogurt?. Try serving 2 to 3 times a week 3 tbsp. in the mid morning alone with out any other food with it. try to maintain a time gap of 2hours 30 minutes between every feed. Serve a single item in a meal.
Ex : do not serve khichdi and then curd rice in a single meal. If you are serving khichdi, let his meal be only that, do not include other items. If you are serving milk cereal, serve that alone and not with any other foods. Certain combinations do not digest well.
Also serve fruit alone and not with other foods.
Regarding weight gain – Did u try to follow the food chart on this blog? If not i suggest you follow it. If you have been following and still not gaining weight, Try giving him almond milk before bed daily, 3 boiled eggs per week, boiled potatoes 3 to 4 times for brekafast. ragi in the evening at 4 pm. Khichdi daily for lunch.
Also follow these timings for feeds
breakfast before 8 am
lunch before 12.30
dinner before 7 pm
Include 2 servings of fruits daily, 45 minutes to 1 hour before meal.
Add one pinch of ajwain twice a day in his food, preferably in the first bite. If he doesn’t constipate continue for 10 days. This should solve the problem.
Hope this helps.
Deepti says
Thanks a lot Swasti.
I need help for this. My son doesn’t sleep properly at night.wakes up every 1 hour and doesn’t sleep immediately. Why ? I feed him kuchdi at 9pm and at 11 milk.Sleeps around 12.Still he doesn’t sleep.. I want to ask u that which food makes baby stomach full and sleep whole night?Should I give him solids half n hour before he sleeps so that he can sleep well? I heard giving ragi before bed can make baby stomach full n ragi takes time to digest so baby won’t wake up ? Pls help me.. M sacrificing sleep like a hell..Not understanding why he is not able to sleep throughout night?
Waiting for ur reply.
swasthi says
Hi Deepti,
I highly suggest following the timings in this food chart. I think your baby is not sleeping due to gas in the stomach. Khichdi is mostly good if eaten in the noon. Eating so late can cause gas and colic. Try to feed early.
Try this tip, it has worked for a few readers and for both my kids as well.
Melt 1/2 to 3/4 tsp ghee and add sugar in it. Give it to the baby, just before sleep. Stomach will be full the whole night. This you can try at the most for 1 week since giving sugar regularly is not good. After one week the baby gets used to sleeping thru the night and may not wake up. Good luck. Do share with us if this worked out.
beenish says
Hi swasthi
Black pepper powder kis month se start karein?
My 10 months old boy suffering from teething problems,which kind of food avoid these days?
swasthi says
Hi Beenish,
a tiny pinch of Pepper powder can be given from the time a baby is introduced to solids and water. But it can also dehydrate and constipate a baby, so i suggest using it with moong dal or potato. If you want to use with other foods avoid during summers. As such no food restrictions during teething, unless the baby has loose stools.
If he is suffering from stomach upset, try rice porridge using this baby rice cereal and if he has diarrhea, do not use milk in the porridge. Try some homeopathy medicine (with homeo doctor’s suggestion) for teething problems, they are safe and work very well. Once you visit the doctor the same medicines you can use until he completes his teething phase. Hope this helps.
heena says
I like all recipes thnx for d wonderful suggestions. .
swasthi says
Welcome and thanks Heena