The thing that has most surprised me about weaning, is how little Baby A dislikes! In fact, babies seem pretty receptive to different flavours. This very mild and creamy curry is always gobbled down in a matter of minutes. I think it must be the sweet potato – every baby knows all of the best foods are orange.

Lentil & Vegetable Curry

Makes 2 adult and 2 baby portions.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped or grated
• 3 small sweet potatoes (approx. 300g), peeled and chopped into 2cm chunks
• 2 tbsp mild curry paste. (I used free & easy which is free from most common allergens)
• 4 large tomatoes, cut into chunks (or a tin of chopped tomatoes)
• 100g red split lentils, washed
• 1 x 400g tin of coconut milk
• 100g frozen peas
• 100g fresh spinach, chopped
• Olive oil for frying

Method

1. Gently fry the onion, garlic and ginger in a little olive oil over a low heat until soft and golden. This takes about 10 minutes – the longer the better, to make it very sweet & aromatic
2. Next, add the curry paste and tomatoes – fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
3. Now add the sweet potato, and fry for another 2-3 minutes, until it begins to soften.
4. Add the lentils and coconut milk, increase the heat until it boils, then simmer with a lid on for 10-15 minutes until the lentils are nearly cooked.
5. Stir through the frozen peas and cook for a further 5 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat, and add the spinach, putting the lid back on until it has wilted. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh coriander leaves, rice or a gluten free flatbread.