Perfect Basmati Rice for Kids
A question I am commonly asked by other mothers is ‘how do you make your rice so soft and fluffy?’ Basmati rice is very simple to cook but if the ratio of water to rice is not correct, it can become dry and overcooked.
Rice is a brilliant accompaniment to curry’s and stews, and with the correct seasoning and veggies, is great as a stand-alone meal too! It is a carb-rich (starchy) food so provides your little one with valuable nutrients, fibre and much-needed energy to crawl, walk, play and run! So all in all, is fab for including within a growing child’s diet.
I was never the best at cooking rice up until a few years ago. It was always the one part of the meal that was either burnt at the bottom of the pan, or was a little chewy! However, after reading about the benefits of rice for kids, it was definitely an area that needed work. And I’m glad I worked on it because now my rice is soft, fluffy and perfectly cooked every time. My daughter will happily eat it on it’s own too.
So to give you a helping hand, I have provided you with two recipes– one suitable for older babies, and the other suitable for toddlers, as I found that different rice textures are suitable for different age groups depending on how far developed they are.
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Perfect Basmati Rice – Stage 2 and 3: 7 -10 months plus
Makes 2-3 servings
80g (3 ¼ oz) white basmati rice
Splash of oil
250ml (8fl oz/ 1 cup) of water
Rinse the rice with fresh cold water in a sieve and mix with a spoon to ensure all of rice has been washed, and place in a pot.
Add the oil and water, bring to the boil and stir, then cover and simmer on low heat for 10mins until all of the water has been absorbed.
When cooked, the rice will be soft, fluffy, but also a little mushy. This makes the rice easier to mash for baby or makes it easier for older babies to chew and swallow.
Increase the health benefits
Add a pinch of turmeric to your baby’s rice – a completely natural spice bursting with health benefits. Turmeric is great for:
- boosting the immune system to protect baby against colds and flu
- reduces flatulence
- reduces the risk of developing childhood leukaemia.
Simply add a pinch of ground turmeric to the water and stir before you bring the rice to the boil.
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Perfect Basmati Rice – Stage 4 (1-3 years) plus and Family Meals
This recipe is great for the whole family and delicious!
Makes 3-4 servings
300g (11 oz) white basmati rice
1 tbsp oil
700ml (1 pint 4fl oz/ 2 ¾ cups) of water
Rinse the rice with fresh cold water in a sieve and mix with a spoon to ensure all of rice has been washed, and place in a pot.
Add the oil and water, bring to the boil and stir, then cover and simmer on low heat for 10mins until all of the water has been absorbed.
When cooked, the rice will be soft, fluffy and all of the water should have been absorbed.
For Mr or Miss Fussy
If your little one requires a certain level of presentation before agreeing to eat his/ her dinner, simply chuck in a handful of frozen peas and ½ – 1 tsp of ground turmeric and stir before you bring the rice to the boil.
Bright yellow rice (all 100% natural) with bright green peas not only looks inviting, it has fab antioxidant benefits for the whole family.
Photo credits: artur84
