Diet recipes for 8 to 10 months
Finger foods
It is very important to introduce finger foods at this age. Small pieces of potato, carrot, cauliflower, ladies finger and coccinea can be boiled and then roasted in oil or ghee and seasoned with pinch of salt. As age advances, the sizes of these pieces can be increased. Finger foods act as small snacks. They also teach the baby to chew. Babies must be encouraged to pick up finger foods on their own and put into their mouths.
Soft idli and dosa
When urad dhal : rice ratio is 1: 1, idli can be made; if the ratio is 1: 3, dosa can be made. Urad dhal and rice must be soaked overnight and then ground to wet fluor in a wet grinder. This must be allowed to ferment in few hours. Adding baking soda or other substances to ferment is not recommended. Natural fermentation must occur. Salt must be added to taste. Soft idlis and dosas can be used as breakfast items for babies. Ghee may be added to enhance palatability.
Upma or Sooji porridge and dahlia kichdi
Sooji or bombay rava is made out of wheat. It contains gluten and hence is introduced late. The rava must be added in boiling water with continuous stirring. Rava: water ratio is 3:1. Salt must be added when the water is boiling itself. Small pieces of vegetables like potato, tomato and carrot may be added. Seasoning with jeera and mustard seeds may be done. It is yummy to eat with ghee. Boiling moong dhal with water enhances protein value of the dish. The same recipe can be used for dahlia porridge also.
Poha
Small pices of tomato and potato must be boiled and mashed and then roasted in some oil with jeera. Water and washed poha must be added in 1: 1 ratio. Salt must be added to taste. The mixture must be cooked with lid closed for 2 to 3 minutes. Ghee must be added in the end. Poha is rich in iron, carbohydrate and some protein.
Oats porridge
Oats can be boiled in water in 1:3 ratio for 3 to 4 minutes. Boiled and mashed dhal and vegetables can be added to this. Oats can be boiled in milk too. Jaggery and ghee can be added to make a yummy sweet porridge.
Vegetable chapathi
Chapathis made by mixing the wheat flour in boiled and pureed vegetables like bottle gourd, round cucumber, carrot and palak are very soft and easily edible. Soft chapathis can be introduced in the diet at 9 to 10 months of age.
Other foods
Corn or wheat flakes soaked in milk, wheat, ragi or multigrain breads, treptin biscuits soaked in warm water, multigrain biscuits, rice sevai and semiya.