AI-generated image
Aval kanji for babies
Rice flake porridge 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
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
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.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Paneer biryaniRice and moong dal in coconut milk
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.
Sabudana khichdiSago with peanuts and potato
Sabudana khichdi is the dish that sees Maharashtra through every vrat (fast), from Navratri to Ekadashi, but it's so good that people eat it any day of the week. Soaked sago pearls are tossed in a pan with crushed roasted peanuts, cubes of potato, cumin and green chilli until each pearl turns glassy and separate, then finished with lemon and coriander. It's soft, chewy, nutty and gently hot. Fasting rules vary from family to family, so check yours; this version uses rock salt and no asafoetida, onion or garlic. Traditionally it's cooked in ghee; use ghee instead of oil if you aren't keeping it vegan. Chef's tip: soak the sago in just enough water to cover by the height of the pearls themselves, no more; too much water is the reason khichdi turns into one sticky lump.
