Rice and fried gram khichdi mix is the best, first porridge powder for babies, made at home. This mix forms the base and you can build many nutritious menu with it. It comes so handy in making many varieties just by changing the vegetables added to it. It suits 6+ months babies. You can even use it till 1 year, whenever you wish to make quick food for your baby..
- White rice(Boiled)/Saappaattu pulungal arisi - ½ cup
- Fried chana dal/Pottukadalai - 1 tbsp
- Cumin seeds - ⅛ tsp to ¼ tsp
- Asafoetida - a generous pinch
- Take ½ cup rice, wash twice and soak for 20 to 30 mins. Again wash well twice and drain the water completely.
- Drain excess water using a sieve. Just leave the rice in the sieve with a bowl below for 5 mins. Transfer the rice to a cotton cloth placed on a plate.
- Spread the rice well over the cloth and dry under fan.. After sometimes, make circles from centre as shown to dry faster. Dry for an hour.. After an hour, the rice grains stick to my palm to show it is still moist & that's ok. No need to dry completely.
- Transfer to a dry pan and start roasting in sim. Keep stirring continuously for even roasting. Rice will puff up & start changing color. Once it is slightly golden color, switch off. Do not brown it. Immediately, transfer to a plate.
- To the same pan, add a pinch(1/8 tsp) of cumin seeds and 1 tbsp fried gram/pottukadalai and fry for 1 minute in sim.
- Transfer jeera and fried gram to the rice plate. Let it cool down completely. Transfer the contents to a small mixie jar. Add a generous pinch of asafoetida to it.
- Grind well to a smooth powder. When making first time for baby, you shall sieve it to get more fine powder.
- Discard the bigger particles. Transfer the powder to an air-tight container. Use a clean spoon, whenever you take the powder. If handled properly, it stays good for 6 months.
2.You can add ¼ tsp turmeric powder in it. I skipped it as I wish to add a pinch of turmeric powder everytime while making khichdi.
3.You shall replace white rice with matta rice or hand-pounded rice or semi-brown rice or brown rice.
4.For 8+ months babies, you shall replace white rice with red rice.
5.For 8+ months babies, you shall increase cumin seeds to ¼ tsp.
6.For 8+ months babies, you can grind little coarse and no need to sieve.
7.Warning! Mother’s milk is sufficient for babies till 6 months. Start this food after completing 6 months.
Preparation
1. Take 1/2 cup rice, wash twice and soak for 20 to 30 mins. Again wash well twice and drain the water completely.
2.Drain excess water using a sieve. Just leave the rice in the sieve with a bowl below for 5 mins. Transfer the rice to a cotton cloth placed on a plate.
3.Spread the rice well over the cloth and dry under fan.. After sometimes, make circles from centre as shown to dry faster. Dry for an hour.. After an hour, the rice grains stick to my palm to show it is still moist & that’s ok. No need to dry completely.
4.Transfer to a dry pan and start roasting in sim. Keep stirring continuously for even roasting. Rice will puff up & start changing color. Once it is slightly golden color, switch off. Do not brown it. Immediately, transfer to a plate.
5.To the same pan, add a pinch(1/8 tsp) of cumin seeds and 1 tbsp fried gram/pottukadalai and fry for 1 minute in sim.
6.Transfer jeera and fried gram to the rice plate. Let it cool down completely. Transfer the contents to a small mixie jar. Add a generous pinch of asafoetida to it.
7.Grind well to a smooth powder. When making first time for baby, you shall sieve it to get more fine powder.
8.Discard the bigger particles. Transfer the powder to an air-tight container. Use a clean spoon, whenever you take the powder. If handled properly, it stays good for 6 months.
Click here to know how to make khichdi using this powder ?
Tips/Tricks
- No need to add salt. Salt is not recommended for babies below one year. Click here to know the reason.
- You can add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder in it. I skipped it as I wish to add a pinch of turmeric powder everytime while making khichdi.
- You shall replace white rice with matta rice or hand-pounded rice or semi-brown rice or brown rice.
- For 8+ months babies, you shall replace white rice with red rice.
- For 8+ months babies, you shall increase cumin seeds to 1/4 tsp.
- For 8+ months babies, you can grind little coarse and no need to sieve.
- Warning! Mother’s milk is sufficient for babies till 6 months. Start this food after completing 6 months.
Nutritional Benefits
Fried Chana dal– Protein , Fibre, Sodium
White Rice– Carbohydrates, Potassium, Fiber and lil of (Proteins, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium & Vit B6)
Hi pottukadalai or chana dal ,that’s is odacha kadalai right?sorry getting confused with the names.my baby boy is going to complete 6 months by June 11th..Planning to start solids by ur blog guidance .Please guide me through ..During this lockdown I don have any help from my family since no there’s no travel..so I’m all by myself and I find your blogs easy and heathy too..
It is pottukadalai.. You can scroll down the post to see my stepwise pictures where I have clearly shown what I have used..
Hi Akka, Just wanted to say thank you. Your blog is very helpful and almost follow all the recipes for my babies food.
Thank you pa 🙂
Hi Mam,
Thank you so much for your blog. It’s very knowledgeable. My LO completed 6months and I have started solids as suggested by you. I have a query and its about rice and fried gram kichdi. Baby eats fruits and veggies happily. But this kichdi she does not like. She even didn’t like boiled potato. But she ate sweet potato happily. Is she doesn’t like coz its so blunt. If yes please can you guide me how to make it more sweeter so that she ll eat?
Thanks in advance.
Thank you.. Adding more carrot to khichdi will make it yummy. Adding ghee will make it more yummier.. Just give a break and try it next week.. For potato, u shall add spices to make it more interesting.. Pls have a look at my baby food charts to get some ideas .. I never gave boiled potato to my baby as such !!