Baby and toddler recipes
🥞 Cabbage and tofu okonomiyaki pancakes
Little Japanese-inspired savoury pancakes packed with shredded cabbage, carrot and crumbled tofu in an egg batter. They offer egg, wheat and soya, plus iron and protein.
Makes about 8 small pancakes
Ingredients
- 150g Cabbage (very finely shredded)
- 1 Carrot (grated)
- 100g firm Tofu (crumbled)
- 2 Spring onion (finely sliced)
- 2 Egg
- 60g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp grated Ginger
- 60ml Water
- 1 tbsp Rapeseed oil
- 1 tsp Sesame seeds (ground, to sprinkle)
- 1/2 Red pepper (soft roasted strips, to serve)
Method
- Whisk the eggs, flour, ginger and water to a smooth batter.
- Fold in the cabbage, carrot, tofu and spring onion.
- Heat a little oil in a non-stick pan over a medium-low heat.
- Spoon in small rounds, flatten and cook for 4 minutes each side until golden and cooked through.
- Sprinkle with ground sesame.
- Cool and cut into strips.
Serving it to your baby
At 9 months cut into strips and check the centre is fully cooked. From 12 months serve small whole pancakes with a little mayonnaise thinned with yoghurt. For a 7-month-old, cut into wide fingers and cook the cabbage a little first so it is extra soft.
For the rest of the family
Top adult pancakes with okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, spring onion and a pinch of salt.
Storing and reheating
Cool quickly (within an hour), then keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Freeze in small portions for up to 1 months and defrost overnight in the fridge. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, stir, then let it cool before serving. Never reheat more than once. Reheat in a pan or oven until piping hot.
How to introduce soya · How to introduce egg · How to introduce sesame
Weaning with OBubba
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat cabbage?
Yes. Shred finely and cook well so it is soft. Cabbage adds vitamin C, which helps baby absorb iron.
Is okonomiyaki sauce OK for babies?
It is high in salt and sugar, so keep it for the adults. Babies enjoy the pancakes plain or with a yoghurt dip.
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).