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Aval kanji for babies
6m+ · Tamil Nadu's roasted rice-flake porridge, ground to a powder and cooked thin and silky
In Tamil homes from Madurai to Chennai, aval (flattened rice, the same poha sold in every kirana shop) is one of the first grains a grandmother reaches for when a baby turns six months. The flakes are dry-roasted until they smell like puffed rice, ground to a fine powder and simmered with water into a thin, pale porridge with a gentle toasted flavour, usually given as a mid-morning feed. For babies it is made with no salt, sugar, jaggery or honey. It is free of the major allergens: no milk, egg, gluten, nuts, soya, sesame or fish. Chef's tip: roast a whole cup of aval at once, grind it and keep the powder in a dry jar for up to two weeks, so each feed takes five minutes.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 1
Baby & toddler safety
- Age: from 6 months+.
- Allergens: none of the common allergens found in the ingredients. Offer one new allergen at a time, in the morning, so you can watch for a reaction.
- Texture and choking: purée or mash smoothly for 6–9 months, then soft, finger-sized pieces that squash between your fingers. Cut round foods such as grapes and cherry tomatoes into quarters lengthways, never give whole nuts, and always stay with your child while they eat.
- Under 1: no honey, no added salt or stock cubes, and no added sugar.
Every child is different. If you are unsure, especially about allergies, check with your health visitor or paediatrician.
Ingredients
- ½ oz aval (poha, flattened rice)thick or thin, picked over
- ¾ cup waterplus a little extra to thin
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put ½ oz aval (poha, flattened rice) in a dry, heavy pan over a low heat and stir for 4–5 minutes, until the flakes turn crisp and smell toasty but are still pale. Tip onto a plate and cool for 2 minutes.
5 minStep 2: Grind the roasted flakes in a dry spice grinder to a fine powder, then sieve out any coarse bits. Common mistake: leaving the powder gritty; at six months the porridge must be completely smooth, so grind twice if needed.
2 minStep 3: Whisk the powder into ¾ cup water in a small pan while it is still cold, so no lumps form.
1 minStep 4: Cook over a low heat, stirring all the time, for 5–6 minutes, until the porridge thickens, turns slightly glossy and coats the back of a spoon. It thickens more as it cools, so take it off while it still pours.
6 minStep 5: Cool to just warm and check the temperature on the inside of your wrist. Thin with a little boiled water or your baby's usual milk until it drops easily from a spoon.
Step 6: Cool any leftover quickly, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze in small portions for up to 1 month. Reheat only once, stirring, until piping hot all the way through, then cool before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 55 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does aval kanji for babies take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 1 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
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