9–11 months
Soft lentil and vegetable patties
Main mealPrep 15 minCook 25 minPortions: 4
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons of red lentils
- 1 small carrot
- 2 tablespoons of fine bulgur wheat
- Water
Method
- Rinse the lentils until the water runs clear and cook them with the grated carrot in unsalted water until they break down completely.
- Take off the heat, stir in the rinsed bulgur, cover and leave until the bulgur has absorbed the water and softened.
- When the mixture holds together, let it cool and shape finger-length, finger-thick patties by hand.
- Squash one between your finger and thumb: if it gives easily it is ready; if it feels firm, moisten it a little more.
- Let it cool to warm, and let your baby feed themselves sitting upright with someone beside them.
Texture
A patty that holds together enough to pick up yet squashes easily under your finger, with no firm crust and no firm bulgur grain left.
Serving
Give one patty at a time, long enough that a bit sticks out of your baby's fist. It is not fried or baked, so it never hardens.
Preparing for choking safety
The patty is shaped long and flat, never as a round ball. Frying or baking would create a hard outside and is not used here. Bulgur is made from wheat and a firm grain is a risk.
Key nutrients
ProteinIronFolateFibre
Storage
Cool within 1 to 2 hours of cooking, then refrigerate or freeze in small portions. Use a refrigerated portion within 2 days. Eat a defrosted portion within 24 hours. When reheating, heat until steaming hot all the way through, then let it cool before serving, and reheat any portion only once. Throw away a half-eaten portion rather than storing or reheating it.
Safety
Your baby should be sitting upright and someone should stay with them while they eat. Add no salt, sugar or honey; honey is not given before one year. Your baby may not have teeth yet, so every piece must be soft enough to squash with gums. Babies do not all manage the same texture at the same age — follow your baby's pace rather than pushing. If your baby has an allergy, eczema, or a family history of allergy, talk to your GP or health visitor before introducing new foods. Introduce foods that can trigger an allergic reaction one at a time and in small amounts, so you can spot any reaction.
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Recipes are a suggestion; they do not replace breast milk, formula, or your child's own feeding plan. If there is an allergy or a specific dietary situation, speak with a health professional.