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Jaulo for babies
9m+ · Nepal's soft rice and moong dal porridge with ghee, cumin and turmeric, cooked without salt and mashed lumpy
Jaulo is the soft rice and lentil porridge Nepali families in Kathmandu and the hills turn to for anyone small, tired or getting over a cold. After a baby's pasni, the rice-feeding ceremony held at five or six months, it soon becomes a regular lunch, and from about nine months it is mashed lumpy rather than smooth. This version keeps the ghee, cumin and turmeric for gentle flavour but leaves out the usual salt, garlic and ginger. It is warm, buttery and comforting. It contains milk (ghee) and is free of gluten, egg, nuts, soya and sesame. Chef's tip: fry the cumin only until it smells toasty and is a shade darker; burnt cumin turns the whole pot bitter.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Baby & toddler safety
- Age: from 9 months+.
- Allergens: contains milk. 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
- 1 tsp ghee
- ¼ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 ⅜ oz short-grain ricerinsed
- 1 oz split yellow moong dalrinsed
- ⅛ tsp ground turmerica small pinch
- 2 ¼ cups water
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Warm 1 tsp ghee in a small heavy pan over a low heat. Add ¼ tsp cumin seeds and stir for 20–30 seconds, until fragrant and just a shade darker.
1 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅜ oz short-grain rice, 1 oz split yellow moong dal and ⅛ tsp ground turmeric and stir for 1 minute to coat in the ghee.
1 minStep 3: Pour in 2 ¼ cups water, bring to the boil, then lower the heat, half-cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the dal has dissolved and the rice is very soft. Common mistake: walking away; jaulo thickens fast and catches on the base, so stir and add a splash of hot water whenever it looks stiff.
28 minStep 4: Mash with a spoon or potato masher to soft lumps. It should be loose enough to drop slowly off the spoon.
2 minStep 5: Serve just warm. Cool the rest 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, with a splash of water, until piping hot all the way through, then cool before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 105 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does jaulo for babies take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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