Top 21 Indian Food Ideas For Your Baby

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After weaningⁱA gradual process of transforming a baby’s diet from breastmilk to solids and other liquids. , a baby’s first food should include a blend of flavors and textures to excite their taste buds. We bring you some delicious Indian food ideas for you to choose from a variety of options for optimal infant nutrition. You can divide your baby’s meal into different foods like solids, purees, and finger food-like items.

It will help you familiarize your baby with various foods and prevent them from being fussy later. But feeding babies is not an easy task for most parents. So if you are looking for ways to include vegetables, fruits, and other nutritious elements in their meals while satisfying their taste buds, scroll through.

Top 21 Indian Baby Food Recipes

Here is our list of 21 Indian baby food ideas that will be perfect for including in your baby-led weaning recipe list.

1. Mango idli:

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 1 cup of mango pulp

• 1 cup of plain yogurt

• 1 cup of grated coconut

• 1 cup of Semolina

• 1 cup of sugar

• 1 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

• A pinch of cardamom powder

How To:

1. Heat the ghee (clarified butter) in a pan and dry roast the semolina until it turns golden brown. Remove it from the heat and keep it aside.

2. Take all the remaining ingredients except cashew nuts and grind to make a fine paste. Add the paste to the roasted semolina and mix well.

3. Add a pinch of cardamom powder. Grease an idli pan using ghee (clarified butter). Pour the mix into it and cook for about 20 minutes. Garnish with the cashews before serving. This is one of the best Indian food recipes for toddlers than babies, as babies might not be able to chew it.

2. Ragi halwa:

You Will Need:

• 1 cup of ragi

• ¾ cup of jaggery

• 1/4 cup of pure ghee (clarified butter)

• 1 Tbsp of cardamom powder

• 1 cup of coconut milk

• Water

How To:

1. Soak the ragi overnight in water.

2. Wash the ragi properly and drain the water. Grind it along with one cup of water so that you get a smooth paste.

3. Use a muslin cloth to sieve the paste. It will help you remove any coarse pieces and use the fine ragi milk to make easy to digest baby food.

4. In a pan, add the ragi milk, coconut milk, jaggery, ghee (clarified butter) and cardamom powder. Let the mixture come to a boil and keep stirring continuously. Cook until the mix thickens.

5. Remove it from the heat. Garnish with the cashew nuts before serving.

Did you know?

Ragi can provide babies with calcium that will help in essential physiological functions and strengthen bones (1).

3. Oats pancake:

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 2 Tbsp oats powder

• 1 Tbsp besan (gram flour)

• ½ grated carrot

• ½ finely chopped onion

• ½ Tbsp of turmeric powder

• Salt and black pepper powder as per taste

• ½ Tbsp of coriander powder

• Water

• Ghee (clarified butter)

How To:

1. Mix the onions and the carrots in a bowl. Add the oats powder, besan, and the remaining spices.

2. Add water to make a smooth paste. Keep it aside for ten minutes.

3. Melt ghee (clarified butter) in a pan. Pour a ladleful of the mix into the pan.

4. Slowly spread it out to make a pancake.

5. Cook until both the sides turn golden brown.

Don’t forget to try this tastiest Indian recipe for your toddler.

4. Sweet potato dosa:

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You Will Need:

• 75g sweet potato

• 1 cup of dosa mix

• 1 Tbsp of ghee (clarified butter)

• Salt as per taste

For the seasoning:

• Chopped onions

• Freshly chopped coriander

• Grated carrots

For a sweet version:

• 1 Tbsp jaggery

How To:

1. Wash the sweet potatoes and peel the skin. Chop them up into small pieces and grind them using a little water and salt.

2. Add the sweet potato to the dosa mix. If you are making the sweet version, add the jaggery to the mix. Stir well and keep it aside for some time.

3. Heat the dosa pan and grease it with ghee (clarified butter). Pour the mix into the pan and spread it slowly to make a pancake. Add the vegetables on top. Cook until both sides turn golden brown. It is also a toddler-friendly meal idea, provided your child can easily chew on solids.

5. Elaichi wheat porridge:

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You Will Need:

• 40g wheat dalia

• 20g roasted gram

• 3 pods of elaichi (cardamom)

• Water

• 1 Tbsp of Ghee (clarified butter)

• 1 Tbsp of Jaggery

How To:

1. Dry roast all the ingredients separately in a pan. Grind them together to make a fine powder.

2. Add four spoonfuls of the porridge powder in a bowl.

3. Add 100 ml of hot water and mix to make a thick paste.

4. Add ghee (clarified butter) and stir well.

5. Let the porridge cool to room temperature before feeding your baby.

This recipe is suitable for your little one who is 12 months old.

Vidya Venkatrramani, a mother, outlines her approach to introducing solid foods to her baby, “Under my pediatrician’s advice, I introduced extremely light in-consistency carrot puree, ragi porridge, and parboiled rice porridge. These were the first three foods introduced over ten days. The thumb rule is to wait for three days after introducing a new food to see if the baby’s system is accepting it. Do not burden the system by making the consistency thick. For some, that might work – good for them. I stuck to what my doctor said (i).”

6. Beetroot and potato puree recipe:

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• Half peeled and cubed potato

• Half peeled and cubed beetroot

How To:

1. Place the vegetables in a bowl and put it inside a pressure cooker that contains water. Cook it for two to three whistles. Remove from the heat and keep it aside.

2. Once the steam releases, you can blend the vegetables in a food processor. Serve the pureed vegetables to your baby.

7. Methi dosa:

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You Will Need:

• 1 bowl of raw rice

• 1 Tbsp of methi (fenugreek seeds)

• ¼ bowl of poha (flattened rice)

• 1 Tbsp of jaggery

• A pinch of turmeric powder

• Salt as per taste

• 1 Tbsp of Butter

How To:

1. Soak the rice, methi seeds, and the poha overnight in lukewarm water in separate bowls.

2. In the morning, grind all the soaked ingredients along with the jaggery to make a smooth paste.

3. Add turmeric powder and salt to the mix. Stir well.

4. Heat the dosa pan and add butter to grease it. Pour the mix into the pan and make a pancake. Cook until both sides of the dosa turn golden brown.

8. Sweet corn paratha:

You Will Need:

• 1 cup of wheat flour

• ½ cup of sweet corn

• ½ cup of yogurt

• 1 Tbsp of ginger paste

• Freshly chopped coriander leaves

• ¼ cup of chopped spring onions

• A pinch of turmeric powder

• 1 cube grated cheese

• Salt as per taste

• 1 Tbsp of ghee (clarified butter)

How To:

1. Microwave the corn and grind it in a blender. Add all the remaining ingredients to make a soft dough.

2. Use your hands to make small balls from the dough. Roll out the dough balls to make round parathas.

3. Heat the pan and add a little ghee (clarified butter) to grease it. Cook the paratha on both sides until it turns golden.

Quick tip

Serve small, thin pieces of parathas with yogurt or curd to let babies practice self-feeding.

9. Vegetable pulao:

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 1 cup of rice

• Chopped vegetables of your choice

• ¼ Tbsp of ghee (clarified butter)

• A pinch of cumin seeds

• A pinch of turmeric powder

• A pinch of cumin powder

• A small bay leaf

• Freshly chopped coriander leaves

• Salt as per taste

How To:

1. Wash the rice and soak it in water for half an hour.

2. In a pressure cooker, heat the ghee (clarified butter) and add the cumin seeds. Once the seeds start to crackle, add the bay leaf. Now add the vegetables and cook them for a while.

3. Add turmeric and cumin powder. Add the soaked rice and mix it well with the vegetables. Add salt as per taste.

4. Add water and cook on a medium flame for one whistle. You will have tasty baby food recipes of the Indian variety.

10. Masala poha:

You Will Need:

• 1 cup of poha (flattened rice)

• 2 Tbsp of roasted ground nuts

• 1 chopped onion

• Salt as per taste

• 1 Tbsp of Oil

For Tempering:

• ¼ Tbsp of mustard seeds

• 4 curry leaves

• 1/4Tbsp of cumin seeds

• A pinch of turmeric powder

How To:

1. Soak the poha (Flattened rice) in lukewarm water for five minutes. Squeeze out the water and keep the poha (Flattened rice) aside.

2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Once it starts to splutter, add the cumin seeds and the curry leaves. Add the onion and sauté for a minute. Add the turmeric powder, salt, and the ground nuts. Cook for a minute.

3. Add the poha (Flattened rice) and stir well. Cook for a few minutes and serve.

11. Idli upma:

You Will Need:

• 2 homemade idlis

• ¼ Tbsp of turmeric powder

• 1 Tbsp of ginger-garlic paste

• Salt and sugar as per taste

• 1 Tbsp of Oil

For Tempering:

• ¼ Tbsp of mustard seeds

• ¼ Tbsp of urad dal

• 4 curry leaves

How To:

1. Mash the idlis and keep them aside. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Once the seeds start to splutter, add the urad dal and the curry leaves. Sauté until they turn golden brown.

2. Add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, salt, and sugar. Sauté for a minute.

3. Add the mashed idlis and mix well. Cook for a minute and serve.

12. Paneer bhurji sandwich:

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 2 slices of brown bread

• 100 g fresh paneer (Cottage Cheese)

• 1 chopped onion

• ½ cup of finely chopped tomato

• Finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

• ½ Tbsp of ghee (clarified butter)

• A pinch of turmeric powder

• A pinch of salt

• 1 Tbsp of butter

How To:

1. Grate the paneer (Cottage Cheese) and keep it aside. Heat the ghee (clarified butter) in a pan and add the onions. Sauté until it turns transparent. Add the tomatoes and cook a little. Now, add the turmeric powder, salt and paneer (Cottage Cheese).

2. Mix well and add the coriander leaves. Cook for a minute and remove from heat.

3. Cut the bread slices and butter them slightly.

4. Spread the paneer (Cottage Cheese) bhurji over one slice and cover it with the other slice. Cut the sandwich into small bite-sized pieces for your baby to eat.

13. Apple khichdi:

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 100g rice

• 30g moong dal

• 1 apple

• ¼ Tbsp of cinnamon powder

• Salt as per taste

How To:

1. Steam the apple in a pressure cooker for about four to five whistles. Once the steam releases, remove the apple and puree it in the food processor.

2. Soak the rice and dal together for about 20 minutes.

3. Add water in a pressure cooker and add the rice and dal. Cook for five whistles. Once the steam releases, add the apple puree, salt and cinnamon powder to the cooked rice and dal mix.

14. Milk rice:

You Will Need:

• ½ cup of rice

• 4 cups milk

• ½ Tbsp of salt

• ½ cup of boiled corn

• Water

• ½ Tbsp of sugar (optional)

How To:

1. Boil the milk and add the rice. Keep stirring until the rice cooks completely.

2. Once the mix starts becoming thick, add the salt. If your baby likes a sweet taste, you can add a little sugar too.

3. Add the boiled corn and a little water and cook for some more time. Remove it from the heat and serve.

15. Pumpkin rice:

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• ¼ cup of rice

• 1 Tbsp of moong dal

• 1 cup of chopped red pumpkin

• A pinch of salt

• A pinch of pepper powder

• 1 ½ cups of water

• 1 Tbsp of Ghee (clarified butter)

How To:

1. Wash the rice and dal.

2. Add all the ingredients in a pressure cooker and cook for about four to five whistles. Remove from heat and puree the mix in a food processor

3. Serve with a topping of ghee (clarified butter).

16. Mixed dal rice:

Image: Shutterstock

This is a simple yet nutrient-rich meal for your baby. According to Lisa Richards, nutritionist and the founder of Candida Diet, “Dal, a staple in Indian cuisine, is an excellent food choice for babies due to its rich nutritional profile and versatility. Lentils, the main ingredient in dal, are a powerhouse of iron and protein, crucial for a baby’s growth and development.”

You Will Need:

• ½ cup of rice

• ½ cup of mixed dal – mung dal, masur dal, udad dal, tur dal, chana dal

• 2 Tbsp of ghee (clarified butter)

• 1 Tbsp of cumin seeds

• A pinch of mustard seeds

• 2 curry leaves

• Salt as per taste

• 3 cups of water

• Chopped vegetables of choice – optional

How To:

1. Melt the ghee (clarified butter) in a pressure cooker.

2. Add some cumin seeds and once they start to splutter, add the mustard seeds and the curry leaves.

3. Add all the dals and rice. Stir well.

4. Add the chopped vegetables now.

5. Add the salt and water. Cook for a few minutes and close the lid.

6. Cook for about six to eight whistles.

17. Vegetable curry:

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• Chopped vegetables of your choice

• 1 chopped onion

• 2 Tbsp of olive oil

• 1 Tbsp of freshly grated ginger

• A pinch of cumin seeds

• A pinch of coriander seeds

• A pinch of turmeric powder

• ¼ cup of apple juice

• ½ cup of water

• 5 cups of blanched and chopped spinach

• ½ Tbsp of lemon juice

• Salt as per taste

How To:

1. Heat the oil and sauté the onions. Add ginger, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, and coriander seeds. Cook for a minute.

2. Add the vegetables (except spinach), the apple juice and water. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes on low heat.

3. Now add the spinach, lemon juice, and salt. Let the curry simmer for a few more minutes.

18. Dahi poha:

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 1 cup of poha (Flattened rice)

• ¾ cup of yogurt

• ¼ cup of milk

• ½ Tbsp of grated ginger

• ½ Tbsp of lemon juice

• ½ Tbsp of chopped coriander leaves

• ¼ Tbsp of cumin powder

• ½ Tbsp of sugar

• Salt as per taste

How To:

1. Mix the yogurt and the milk in a bowl. Add the grated ginger, cumin powder, lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Mix well.

2. Wash the poha (Flattened rice) and let it soak in water for five minutes. Drain the water and squeeze the poha (Flattened rice) dry.

3. Add the poha (Flattened rice) in the yogurt mix. Add the chopped coriander and stir well.

19. Tinda dal:

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 100g chopped tinda (apple gourd)

• 6 Tbsp of yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)

• ½ Tbsp of cumin seeds

• ¼ Tbsp of asafetida

• ¼ Tbsp of turmeric powder

• 2 Tbsp of grated coconut

• 1 Tbsp of garam masala (curry powder)

• 1 Tbsp of jaggery

• 1 Tbsp of chopped coriander leaves

• 1 Tbsp of oil

• Salt as per taste

How To:

1. Wash the dal and soak it in water.

2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Now add the cumin seeds, and when they begin to splutter, add the asafoetidaⁱA dried latex extracted from the roots of Ferula (a plant species), used as a spice in Indian food preparations. , garam masala, jaggeryⁱA highly concentrated form of sugar used in Indian cooking, known to benefit digestive health. and the turmeric powder.

3. Add the tinda (apple gourd) and sauté for a minute. Add the dal and salt. Mix well.

4. Now, add the water and let the dal cook for about three to four whistles.

5. Once the pressure cooker releases steam, open the lid and add the grated coconut. Cook for five minutes and add the chopped coriander. Cook for a minute.

Quick tip

Use properly cooked vegetables in mash or puree forms in baby foods (2). It will minimize the choking risk and help the baby digest the food easily.

20. Ragi and oats laddoos:

You Will Need:

• 1 cup of ragi flour

• ½ cup of oats

• 1½ Tbsp of ghee (clarified butter)

• 1 Tbsp of cardamom powder

• 1 cup of Jaggery

• 12 cashew nuts

How To:

1. Roast the oats in a non-stick pan for a minute. Grind the roasted oats in a blender to make a fine powder.

2. Melt the ghee (clarified butter) in a pan, and add the ragi flour. Roast it for about seven minutes while stirring continuously.

3. Remove the pan from heat and add the jaggery. Mix well to make sure there are no lumps.

4. Put the ragi mix in a bowl and add the oats and cardamom powder. Let the mix cool down a little before you start making the laddoos. Grease your palm with a little ghee (clarified butter) and start making small balls.

5. Add a small cashew nut on top to decorate the laddoos.

21. Carrot rice

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• 2tbsp rice
• ¼ cup carrot (peeled and chopped)
• A pinch of turmeric powder
• ¼tsp cumin powder
• ⅛tsp black pepper powder
• Salt as required
• 1 cup water
• 1tsp ghee

How to:

1. Get the carrots ready by cleaning, peeling, and chopping them. Rinse the rice and let it soak in warm water for 20 minutes. Put the soaked rice and chopped carrots into a pressure cooker.
2. Next, sprinkle in some pepper powder and cumin powder. Add the necessary salt and water (skip salt for babies under one year). Then, add turmeric powder and ghee. Mix everything.
3. Seal the pressure cooker with its lid and cook everything over medium heat for three to four whistles. Once the pressure is released, open the cooker and mash the contents well with a masher until it’s soft. If you prefer, you can also blend it in a blender.

Do try all these delicious homemade baby food indian recipes for your little ones. However, pick the recipes based on your baby’s age and do not feed them forcefully.

Things To Remember While Cooking For Your Baby

Here are a few tips that will ensure your baby can safely enjoy your preparations:

• Always check with the pediatrician before you add anything new to your baby’s diet.

• Many doctors suggest staying away from sugar and salt before your baby turns one while some suggest it is safe to introduce the same once your baby is about seven or eight months old. Speak to your doctor before you take a call.

• Follow the three-day rule for any new food you add to your baby’s meals. It will help you note if your baby is allergic to any particular food item. If you think a new food makes him feel uncomfortable immediately stop serving him the same. Also, seek immediate medical help if your baby suffers from a severe food allergy.

• Never force your baby to eat a new food, instead give them time to develop a taste for it. Also, you may continue to breastfeed your baby at least up to two years along with complementary feeding.

Infographic: Healthy And Tasty Indian Food Ideas For Babies

Indian food can be an excellent option for babies and young children, as it is often very flavorful and nutrient-dense. So, if you wish to introduce your baby to these foods’ unique flavors and health benefits, scroll through this infographic for a few suggestions to get started.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Illustration: Top 21 Indian Food Ideas For Your Baby

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

Delight your toddlers with these 9 delicious Indian breakfast recipes! Perfect for kids aged 2-4 years, these recipes are sure to help them gain weight in a healthy way.

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Reviewer Expert Author Editor Fact Checker

Dr. Sonal DhemlaPhD

Dr. Sonal Dhemla, a gold medalist with four years of experience, is working with a pediatric hospital as a consultant dietitian/clinical nutritionist. She founded ‘Dr. Sonal’s Nutrittude’, a diet clinic specializing in child nutrition, complementary feeding, juvenile diabetes, celiac disease, autism, ADHD, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, growth issues among children, different deficiencies, and much more.

Read full bio of Dr. Sonal Dhemla

• 
  Lisa RichardsRDN Lisa Richards is a certified nutritionist coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She is an author at the Candida Diet (thecandidadiet.com), with 17 years of experience.
  
  Lisa Richards is a certified nutritionist coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She is an author at the Candida Diet (thecandidadiet.com), with 17 years of experience.

Jessica AlbertBE

Jessica Albert is a passionate writer who seeks to connect with her readers through wit and charm. Her work aims to invoke curiosity and keep the readers engaged through and through. She has two years of experience working with magazines and e-commerce establishments as a content marketer and editor.

Read full bio of Jessica Albert

Swati PatwalM.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with more than a decade of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children.

Read full bio of Swati Patwal

Vidya TadapatriMSc (Biotechnology)

Vidya did her post-graduation in Biotechnology from Osmania University, Hyderabad. Her interest in scientific research and writing made her pursue a career in writing, in which she now has over five years of experience. She has done certified biotechnology-related training programs under renowned organizations such as Centre For Cellular & Molecular Biology and Department of Biotechnology.

Read full bio of Vidya Tadapatri