Baby Bites Mild Vegetable Curry

This lovely but mild vegetable curry is a fantastic introduction into flavours and spice as well as a chunkier texture to pureed foods.

It is a tomato and water based curry so is healthier than cream or coconut milk based ones and with the inclusion of sweet potato within the curry you need not worry about what to serve it with as a small pot makes a substantial portion for a 8-12 month old at least. This makes 5-8 portions too, depending on how big an appetite your little one has.

This freezes really well too - just defrost on the morning you wish to use, ensure it's thoroughly defrosted and that you heat it through and allow to cool enough for little one.

The beauty of this kind of dish too, is that you can use almost any vegetable depending on what you have in stock - other vegetables that work really well include mushrooms, peas, cauliflower, peppers and aubergine - you could even add some butter beans for some added protein.

Here's how:

1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 thumbnail piece of ginger or 1/2 tsp dried ginger
1 tbsp mild curry powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp turneric
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tin of tomatoes or small jar of passata
1 small courgette
1 sweet potato (cooked)
Quarter head of brocolli
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Firstly dice the onion finely and crush the garlic. Pour the oil into a non-stick saucepan and add the onion and garlic on a low heat. Allow to slowly sweat down and soften.

Add the ginger, curry powder and spices and allow to be completely absorbed by the onion mixture.

Cube the courgette into manageable chunks and add with the potato and allow to fry for four-five minutes stirring through to coat in the flavourful base.

Add the tomatoes and half a cup of water straight from the tap.

Stir thoroughly and allow to cook for 30 minutes.

Chop the broccoli into small florets and add to the curry. Cook for a further fifteen minutes.

Remove from the heat and dish up and portion up - allowing to cool a little before serving to little one and completely before placing into the fridge or freezer.

Taste the curry before serving and if you think it's a little too spicy, you can tone it down by adding a small drop of creme fraiche then stirring through.