Lentil & tomato medley
Lentils simmered with fresh tomatoes and tomato juice, then pureed and sieved into a smooth, tangy first dal for babies of 4–8 months. Use any lentils: split red lentils cook fastest. Serve warm.

Upper Egypt grows the country's sugarcane, and its dark molasses, asal eswed or black honey, has found its way onto breakfast and supper tables from Aswan to Alexandria. Spooned over tahini and swirled together, it becomes a glossy, bittersweet, nutty dip that children love and grown-ups eat after a light evening meal, scooped up with warm aish baladi or fino. Many families eat it in winter, when they want something warming and filling. A frequent slip is stirring the molasses and tahini together completely; leave them swirled so each bite gets both. Chef's tip: stir the tahini jar thoroughly first; the thick paste at the bottom and the oil on top must be mixed, or the dip comes out stiff and dry.
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Lentils simmered with fresh tomatoes and tomato juice, then pureed and sieved into a smooth, tangy first dal for babies of 4–8 months. Use any lentils: split red lentils cook fastest. Serve warm.
A bright orange-green juice of carrots, dark cabbage leaves and celery with plenty of fresh coriander and parsley. Earthy and fresh: a carrot drink fit for a bunny. Serve at room temperature.
A thick, indulgent shake of chocolate ice cream, milk and chocolate syrup, topped with grated chocolate. It's ready in minutes and loved by children. Serve at once, while it's frosty.
Flaked rice (pauva) simmered in milk until soft and creamy, then stirred with apple puree and a little ground almond. A comforting afternoon meal for babies of 8–18 months. Almond essence is strong: a tiny drop is plenty.
Warm new potatoes boiled in their skins and tossed in one of three dressings: creamy parsley sour cream, a tangy basil vinaigrette, or a fresh 'greeny' dressing of cottage cheese and herbs. Each dressing is enough for 500 g of potatoes, so make one, or make all three for a party. Serve the salad chilled on a bed of lettuce with a spoonful of single cream on top.
Strong instant coffee, sweetened with brown sugar, chilled and then whizzed with ice until frothy. A splash of single cream on top makes it smooth and rich. Make the coffee ahead so it has time to chill.
A thick golden smoothie of ripe mango and banana blended with plain yogurt: like a mango lassi with extra fruit. Naturally sweet and filling, it makes a good breakfast on the go. Serve chilled.
A light, creamy fool of fresh mango puree, sharpened with lime, folded through whipped cream and yogurt so it's prettily rippled. Served in tall glasses, it's somewhere between a drink and a pudding. Chill for an hour or two and decorate with fresh mango slices just before serving.
Small pasta shapes cooked right in a soft sauce of aubergine, courgette, pepper, mushrooms, sweetcorn and tomato. It's blended for babies of 8–18 months; as they grow, blend it less or not at all. Serve warm.
A thick, frosty milkshake of frozen banana and vanilla ice cream with a good kick of instant coffee. Freezing the banana slices makes it extra cold and creamy without ice. Use less coffee for a milder shake.
Passion fruit juice liquidised with banana and apple into a smooth, creamy drink, with a touch of salt to brighten it. Sweet, tangy and filling. Serve chilled, garnished with diced apple.
A tropical cooler of fresh mango and black passion fruit juice, lifted with ginger juice, lemon and a splash of ginger soda. A pinch of salt balances the sweetness. Serve chilled, garnished with diced apple and fresh mint.
A smooth, naturally sweet puree of gently stewed apple and pear, one of the first foods for babies of 4–8 months. The fruit cooks in a little unsweetened apple juice, so nothing else is needed. Serve it lukewarm; any leftover keeps covered in the fridge for a day, or freezes well in small pots.
A smooth, naturally sweet puree of three root vegetables: choose from carrots, potatoes, sweet potato and pumpkin. Changing the mix is an easy way to give babies of 4–8 months new flavours. Serve lukewarm.
A vivid pink smoothie of sweet apples and cooked beetroot blended with plain yogurt. Earthy, fruity and creamy at the same time. Serve chilled, garnished with diced apple and fresh mint.
A refreshing green juice of cucumber, green apple, celery, spinach and bottle gourd (dudhi), lifted with parsley, basil and mint. It's light, clean-tasting and best drunk first thing in the morning, as soon as it's made. Taste a small piece of the bottle gourd first: if it tastes bitter, don't use it.
A sweet and salty dipping sauce of soy sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and spring onions. Leaving it in the fridge for an hour or two lets the flavours blend. Serve it warm with spring rolls, dumplings and momos.
A quick, tangy barbecue sauce of tomato ketchup, onion, butter, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and lemon, sweetened with sugar and warmed with black pepper and chilli flakes. Keep it warm and serve it with barbecued paneer, vegetable skewers, burgers and corn.
A chunky Mediterranean salsa of chopped black olives, tomato, pepper and spring onions with chives, basil, garlic, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Serve it cold or at room temperature with corn chips or toasted bread.
A rich, creamy cheese dip of grated mozzarella processed with cream and eggless mayonnaise, then mixed with spring onions, garlic, white wine and hot chilli sauce. Serve it cold with slices of tomato, cucumber or bread.
A chunky, savoury salsa of tomatoes and creamy avocado with onion, garlic, fresh parsley and oregano, dressed with olive oil and wine vinegar and finished with crumbled feta. It's best after a couple of hours in the fridge. Serve it with pitta bread or tortilla chips.
A light, sweet-and-savoury dip of sour cream folded with whipped cream and coarsely ground almonds. It's rich and nutty with a soft, airy texture. Chill it well and serve with crackers, fruit or crisp vegetable sticks.
A 'royal' chutney of fresh and dried red chillies with toasted urad dal, cumin, coriander and sesame seeds, curry leaves and fresh coriander, ground smooth with tangy tamarind juice. It's hot, sour and nutty, with a little sweetness. Serve a spoonful with idli, dhosa, farsan and rice dishes.
A rich, cooked red chilli chutney: chillies soaked overnight with jaggery, sugar and lemon, blended with toasted cumin, coriander and urad dal, then simmered and finished with cashews, peanuts and powdered curry leaves. It's sweet, hot and crunchy. Serve it with puri, paratha or thepla.
The sweet, sour, glossy brown chutney that makes chaat: tamarind and dates boiled soft, blended and sieved, then sweetened with jaggery and spiced with cumin and red chilli. Drizzle it over samosas, bhel, pani puri, dahi vada and pakoras. It keeps for a month in the fridge or longer in the freezer.
A dry, coarse chutney powder of ground cumin, chilli, salt and asafoetida, with a few drops of lemon and oil and some fresh coriander, air-dried for a few days. Sprinkle a pinch over khichdi, dahi, chaat, bhel or buttered toast. Kept airtight, it lasts for weeks.
A fresh, juicy chutney of grated tomato, cucumber and carrot with crushed chillies, ketchup and coriander. It's the bright, tangy salad-chutney served with Kenyan-style maru bhajia (crispy potato bhajias). It needs no cooking and takes minutes to make.
A fresh, crumbly chutney of grated coconut and raw mango with a little chilli paste, sugar and a pinch of turmeric. It's sweet, sour and mildly hot, and is served with kachri bateta, the Gujarati potato snack, as well as with pattice and bhajias.
A smooth, tangy chutney of unripe mango, red pepper and hot red chillies, sweetened with jaggery and flavoured with cumin. It's a no-cook chutney with a lovely bright colour. Serve it with dhokla, bhajias, samosas or as a sandwich spread.
A hot, chunky relish of blended red bullet chillies cooked with raw mango, green peppers, vinegar and tomato ketchup, after a tempering of sesame, cumin and split coriander seeds. It's sweet, sour and very spicy. Serve a little with farsan, thepla or sandwiches; it keeps for weeks in the fridge.
A fresh, coarse chutney of grated coconut, mint, green chillies and cumin, sharpened with lemon and a pinch of sugar. It's bright green, cooling and spicy, and goes with idli, dhosa, pakoras and sandwiches.
A cool, creamy chutney of finely grated fresh coconut mixed with yogurt, a little chilli paste, lemon and fresh coriander. It's mildly sweet and gently spicy, and needs no cooking. Serve it with idli, dhosa, bhajias or any savoury snack.
A thick, sweet-sour chutney of grated raw mango and jaggery, blended with crunchy fafadia gathia, cumin and red chilli. It's tangy and spicy, with a hint of sweetness, and is the traditional partner for dal kachori. It also goes well with samosas and other fried snacks.
A creamy, tangy chutney made by soaking crunchy fafadia gathia in yogurt and blending it smooth, then spicing it with red chilli. The gram-flour gathia thickens the yogurt and gives it a gentle, savoury flavour. It is the classic dip for chandu bhajiya, and good with any fried farsan.
Golden home-made croutons tossed with coriander, celery and black pepper, served on a warm salad of sweet corn, onion and toasted almonds with a squeeze of lemon. Day-old bread makes the crispest croutons. Add them just before serving so they stay crunchy.
A tropical salad of julienned mango, cucumber and cabbage with thin slices of fresh coconut and toasted pumpkin seeds. The dressing is sweet and hot with chilli flakes and parsley. Choose firm, semi-ripe mangoes so the strips hold their shape, and add them at the last minute.
A crunchy salad of golden fried almonds, roasted pumpkin seeds, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, celery and apple, with plenty of spring onion and coriander. The dressing is simply lemon juice, sugar and salt, so the fresh flavours shine. Serve it cold with crusty bread.
Raw cauliflower florets marinated in a little oil and vinegar, then mixed with sweet dates, banana, crisp red apples and celery on crunchy salad leaves. It is served with a creamy orange and mustard yogurt dressing. The mix of sweet, crunchy and tangy makes it a refreshing side for a summer lunch.
A smooth, cooling green chutney of fresh mint, coriander and green chillies blended into yogurt with a dash of vinegar. It's the classic partner for tikka, kebabs, samosas and pakoras, and also good drizzled over chaat.
A creamy, sweet-and-tangy raita of chilled yogurt with banana, grated cucumber and pepper, spiced with mustard, cumin and a little chilli. It's cooling next to spicy food: serve it with biryani or dhosa ladoo. For a festive version, add finely chopped apple and pomegranate seeds.
All the flavours of a Greek salad in a chunky dip: crumbled feta, chopped olives, tomato and spring onions, bound with garlicky olive oil and lemon. Serve it chilled with salted crackers, pitta bread or crisp vegetables.
A savoury yogurt raita full of finely chopped carrot, tomato, pepper, onion and green chilli, seasoned with chilli, cumin, black pepper and a dash of vinegar. It's cool, crunchy and lightly spiced. Serve it with rice dishes and biryani.
A thick, fresh chutney of grated coconut and raw mango blended with coconut water, chilli and coriander. With no yogurt it's dairy free and keeps its fresh coconut taste. It's served in East Africa with lentil fritters (bhajia), Zanzibar mix and Mombasa mix.
The classic coconut chutney for idli and dhosa: fresh coconut ground with soaked urad and chana dal, yogurt and chilli, then finished with a sizzling tempering of curry leaves and asafoetida. The lentils give it body and a nutty taste. Serve it with idli, dhosa, uttapam and medu vada.
A cool, smooth dip of fresh yogurt blended with spring onions, cucumber, green chilli, garlic and roasted cumin. It's light and refreshing, and is just right with barbecued paneer, vegetable skewers and corn. Serve it well chilled.
A thick, creamy garlic dip of sour cream and eggless mayonnaise with garlic paste, red pepper and dried parsley. Leaving it overnight lets the garlic flavour develop fully. Serve it with vegetable sticks, chips, crackers or potato wedges.
A crunchy, raita-like dip of sour cream packed with cucumber, coloured peppers, carrot and onion, with fresh coriander, green chilli and cumin. Chill it for a few hours so the flavours blend. Serve it with rice, naan or pitta.
A simple, tangy dip made with thick home-made cottage cheese (hung yogurt) or ready-made sour cream, seasoned with garlic, chilli, black pepper and vinegar. Serve it cold with crisps, nachos and jacket potatoes. The book's other dips use this as their 'sour cream'.
A thick, creamy mint chutney made with hung-yogurt cottage cheese, so it clings to grilled food without running. It's fresh with mint and coriander and gently spicy. Serve it with barbecued paneer and vegetable skewers, tikka, kebabs and corn on the cob.
A very hot, deep-red paste of garlic, red chilli powder and roasted cumin with lemon juice and a little jaggery. Just a little adds a punch to bhel, sev puri, dabeli, vada pav and sandwiches. It keeps for a couple of weeks in a jar in the fridge.
A smooth, glossy red chilli sauce of salted fresh red chillies blended with tomato sauce, vinegar, garlic and jaggery. Salting the chillies overnight softens them and takes off some of the rawness. It keeps for weeks in a glass jar in the fridge and goes with spring rolls, samosas and noodles.
The everyday Gujarati green chutney: fresh coriander, hot green chillies, raw mango and green pepper blended coarsely with fafadia gathia, which thickens it and stops it going watery. It's hot, tangy and a little sweet. Serve it with dhokla, khandvi, sandwiches and all kinds of farsan.
A crunchy salad of red, yellow and green peppers with roasted peanuts, cucumber, carrots and celery, dressed with lemon, dill, mint and celery leaves. Just before serving, olive oil mixed with sesame seeds is poured over the top. It's colourful, filling and full of protein.
Crisp mixed lettuce with creamy avocado, juicy orange segments, cubes of feta and roasted nuts, dressed with olive oil, lemon and herbs and finished with grated parmesan. It's a quick, elegant salad for a dinner party or a light lunch. Toss the avocado in lemon juice first so it stays green.
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