My First Curry

Pour the mug of rice into a saucepan. Fill the same mug up twice with boiling water from the kettle and add to the rice. Place the saucepan over a high heat and bring it to the boil, then put the lid on, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes. Don’t take the lid off until the time is up.

Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, melt the coconut oil over a medium heat, add the chicken strips and cook for 4 minutes, stirring every so often.

Add the tomato purée, garlic, all of the spices and a good grinding of black pepper, and cook for 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly so they don’t burn.

Add the coconut milk and frozen peas. Half-fill the empty coconut can with cold water, swilling the liquid around to gather as much of the coconut milk into the water as possible, then add this to the curry. Stir and let it all bubble away for around 8 minutes until the rice is done. Add more water if you feel the sauce is becoming too thick.

Once the rice timer is up, turn off the heat and remove the lid. Use a fork to move one section of rice away gently so you can see the bottom of the pan. If you see no water at the base of the pan and the rice looks fluffy, it’s done. Place the lid back on the rice and let it rest for 2 minutes or until you’re ready to serve.

Fluff the rice up with a fork and serve alongside the curry.

This curry is great to serve baby as a finger food. Or you can blitz up a small amount along with some rice and serve as a purée for baby, or chop the chicken and mix through the rice for a more textured meal. Another tip is to mix a little rice with some of the curry sauce and roll into a ball. This helps baby pick up the rice and eat it independently.

ADD SOME SPICE!

Don’t shy away from introducing spice to baby from the age of 6 months. Getting your little one used to a variety of flavours is important for raising a confident eater. If you like stronger heat, add a scattering of fresh chilli or dried chilli flakes to adult plates.