8 months and above
This recipe is a modification on the traditional 'Pongal', a breakfast delicacy in Tamil Nadu - South India. The traditional pongal is generously slathered with ghee (clarified butter) and made with white rice and moong dhal. This is a nutritionally superior, easily digested version.
Pear Barley - 1 teaspoon (5 gms)
Rice - 1 teaspoon
Green gram lentil (mung dhal/paasiparuppu) - 1 teaspoon
Milk - 1 tablespoon (30 ml)
Water- 1 tablespoom
Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1/4 teaspoon
Rinse, drain, and soak the barley, rice and lentil in water for half an hour. Add rest of the ingredients and pressure cook on medium flame for 6 whistles. Alternatively place in a thick bottomed skillet and cook on slow flame, ocassionally stirring, till completely cooked and mushy ( about 15 minutes).
You can opt to add a pinch of salt though I used salt very sparingly till my baby turned a year old.
Nutritional information
Barley - is a very good source of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, apart from many minerals and vitamins including selenium, manganese, folate, and niacin.
Green gram lentil - is an easily digestible source of good quality protien. This does not accumulate gas in the intestine unlike other lentils and so is the first of the lentil family to be introduced to babies.
Cumin - a great source of iron promotes digestion and cures abdominal distress.
Rice - the most easily digested cereal for most babies
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