Baby and toddler recipes
🥥 Mild coconut beef rendang for toddlers
A gentle version of the slow-cooked Malaysian and Indonesian beef curry, simmered in coconut milk with lemongrass, ginger and warm spices until the meat falls apart. Deeply flavoured but mild, and very rich in iron.
Makes about 6 toddler portions
Ingredients
- 400g braising steak Beef (diced)
- 1 x 400ml tin Coconut milk
- 1 Onion (roughly chopped)
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Ginger (grated)
- 1 stalk Lemongrass (bashed, removed before serving)
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Coriander (ground)
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon
- 1 Star anise (removed before serving)
- 1 tsp Rapeseed oil
- to serve Jasmine rice
Method
- Blend the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric and coriander to a paste with a splash of water.
- Fry the paste in the oil for 5 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
- Add the beef, coconut milk, lemongrass, cinnamon and star anise.
- Simmer very gently, uncovered, for 2 to 2½ hours, stirring more often towards the end, until the sauce is thick and the beef falls apart.
- Remove the lemongrass and star anise. Shred the beef well for your toddler.
Serving it to your baby
From 12 months, shred the beef into small soft pieces and serve with sticky rice pressed into balls. For babies from 9 months, mash with a little water to loosen.
For the rest of the family
Stir chilli paste and a dash of fish sauce into the adult portion and serve with cucumber and crispy shallots.
Storing and reheating
Cool quickly (within an hour), then keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze in baby portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, reheat until steaming hot all the way through, stir well and let it cool before serving. Never reheat more than once.
Weaning with OBubba
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Questions parents ask
Is star anise safe for babies?
Yes, as a flavouring. Always remove whole spices like star anise before serving, as they are a choking risk.
Why is rendang good for toddlers?
Slow cooking makes the beef very tender, and beef is one of the best sources of easily absorbed iron.
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).