Easy Red Lentil Dal For Baby And Toddler - Vegan
Table of Contents
Popular Dal Recipe
We have a dal in our household very often as my partner loves it! He was the one who introduced me to it and sometimes we have it at least once a week. It is so simple to make and more importantly it is very quick to make.
It’s great that this dish is nutritious enough to have on its own. If you wanted to serve this as a side alongside another chicken. lamb or plant based dish, that would work well too!
Another great thing is that you only need one pot! Minimal washing up is always a winner! Great if you would like to make a big batch for the freezer too!
I began introducing this dish in my son’s diet from 6 months old, and to my surprise he really enjoyed it! It’s now one of his favourite dinners! Which is music to my ears as it’s so easy to make.
You can add in different vegetables, not just carrots! Maybe some sweet potatoes, or tomatoes. These vegetables would work perfectly in this dish.
The Benefits Of Lentils
Lentils are high in protein and fibre, making lentils perfect if your baby is following a plant based diet, or even if your baby eats meat, red lentils are a great alternative to meat, if you wanted more meat free recipes.
Not only that. red lentils are very cheap to buy. So all in all, I honestly think this is a win-win recipe for all!
Including red lentils in a baby's diet during the stage of baby-led weaning can be an excellent choice for introducing new flavours and essential nutrients.
Red Lentils
Red lentils are a wonderful source of plant-based protein, dietary fibre. and essential minerals like iron and folate. These tiny legumes are easy to cook and have a soft texture, making them ideal for babies who are just starting to explore solid foods.
Red lentils can be pureed into a smooth consistency or left slightly lumpy to encourage babies to practice chewing.
They also have a mild taste that blends well with other ingredients, making them versatile for a variety of recipes.
By incorporating red lentils into a baby's diet, parents can provide their little ones with a nutrient-rich food that contributes to their overall growth and development.
Is It Ok To Include Turmeric In Baby’s Diet?
Yes, Including turmeric in a baby's diet for baby-led weaning can be a great way to introduce a variety of flavours and spice while providing numerous health benefits.
Turmeric, with its vibrant yellow colour, contains a compound called curcumin, which is known for its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
This makes it a wonderful addition to support the development of a strong immune system for your little one. However, it's important to remember that babies have sensitive taste buds, so start with a small amount and gradually increase the quantity as they develop their palate.
Simply sprinkle a pinch of turmeric onto soft-cooked vegetables or mix it into homemade purees to add a touch of flavour and a sprinkle of health into their meals.
Including Carrots In Baby’s Diet
Grated carrot serves as a fantastic addition to a red lentil dal for several reasons. Firstly, it adds a vibrant burst of colour to the dish, enhancing its visual appeal. Additionally, the natural sweetness of carrots compliments the earthiness of red lentils, creating a harmonious flavour profile.
Carrots are packed with essential nutrients, such as vitamin A and fibre, providing an extra health boost to the already nutritious dal. All in all, grated carrot not only enhances the taste, texture, and appearance of a red lentil dal but also adds a nutritional punch, making it an excellent choice to elevate your dal experience.
Using Garlic And Ginger Paste
Garlic and ginger paste can be a convenient and time-saving substitute for using fresh cloves or roots in cooking. The paste combines the robust flavours of garlic and ginger, allowing you to effortlessly add a punch of savoury and aromatic notes to your dishes.
Whether you're creating a marinade, stir-fry, or chicken curry, a dollop of garlic and ginger paste easily blends into sauces, soups, or marinades, infusing them with the distinctive taste of these two ingredients.
The paste also ensures an even distribution of flavours throughout the dish, eliminating the worry of biting into a chunk of ginger or garlic. Its long shelf life and ease of use make garlic and ginger paste a practical choice for those who desire the flavours of these ingredients without the hassle of chopping and crushing.
Ingredient information
Vegetable oil - You can use olive oil or your oil of choice. I think vegetable oil works well in this recipe.
Onion (yellow onion) - I love onion and so does my son, and counts as a vegetable!
Carrot - When you grate vegetables you can hide vegetables really easily in any dish! Carrots sweeten this dish and make make it really! Packed with vitamin D too!
Red lentils - Whole red lentils are so good if you or your baby are following a plant based diet as they are packed with protein and fibre. So these are a must to add to your diet, even if you are looking for one veggie meal a week.
You could also use these lentil too or a combination of two: brown lentils, green lentils, red split lentils, yellow lentils.
Garlic and ginger paste - I find these pastes so handy and they are so delicious. When you’re in a hurry and you don’t have time to peel garlic and ginger - a must for the cupboard/fridge. If you did want to use garlic use one crushed garlic clove and 1 thumbnail of grated fresh ginger.
Ground turmeric - So many benefits to turmeric, especially for us adults! Gives the recipe a lovely colour too.
Cumin - Is a must in this recipe, and it can be a real staple in your spice cupboard. So versatile in curry and Mexican recipes.
Bay leaf - I add a bay leaf because I love the taste in most things, however if you don’t have a bay leaf you can leave it out, or if you have some curry leaves to hand use 5 of those.
Black pepper - I love to season with some black pepper, you can use white pepper if you have it.
Serving suggestion
The red lentil curry will work perfectly with brown or white rice, I have served with Naan bread on this occasion. This can of course be served on its own too, if you preferred!
I would add in a carbohydrate though to get all the macronutrients and micronutrients your baby needs.
Other great accompaniments that would work well with the red lentil dal are baked cauliflower, roasted carrots or a pork patty.
You could also serve with basmati rice, brown rice a warm roti bread or cauliflower rice, cooked with a vegetable stock cube (zero salt).
Storage instructions
The red lentil dal can be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge, in an airtight container, you could portion into small airtight containers and add some rice so that you have a complete meal.
The red lentil dal can be stored in an airtight container or a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months in the freezer.
To defrost and reheat the red lentil dal from the freezer, you will need to take the red lentil dal out of the freezer and leave to thaw in the fridge overnight. Once the red lentil dal is fully defrosted, the best way to re heat is on the hob in a saucepan on a medium heat until piping hot. Leave to cool before serving.
Equipment used to help with this recipe
Saucepan - So many pan sets out there but I particularly like to use pans with a non-stick surface for ease of cleaning and ones that are suitable for different types of hob surface.
Airtight container - I much prefer the click-shut lids on these containers compared to others. They are also dishwasher and freezer safe and BPA free, so very suitable for food use.
Recipe | Easy Red Lentil Dal For Baby And Toddler - Vegan
Makes 6 Portions
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 carrots, finely grated
1 cup red lentils
1 teaspoon garlic and ginger paste
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1 bay leaf
Black pepper
3 cups hot water
Instructions
Using a sieve, rinse the lentils with water for a good 2 minutes and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pot on a medium high heat and add the onions and cook for 15 minutes on a medium heat, until they are soft and golden.
Add in the grated carrot and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger paste, turmeric, cumin, a grind of black pepper and cook for 1 minute.
Add in the lentils, hot water and bay leaf, bring the saucepan to a boil, turn down the heat and cook for 30 minutes until the lentils have cooked and thickened.
Serve and enjoy with rice or yogurt flatbread.
Hope you and your family enjoy!
Recipe notes
If you wanted a thinner consistency, when cooked add in more hot water until You have your desired consistency. You can serve this with rice as previously stated, and add in other vegetables. It’s great if you can grate the vegetables as this works well with the texture of the dal overall, Good vegetables to grate are courgette, sweet potato, aubergine, turnip.
©The Petit Spoon
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