Bok Choy Rice Porridge (Stage 1 Baby Food)
Easy & Mild Bok Choy Rice Porridge: A Perfect Start for Your Baby’s First Solids!
This is a stage 1 early baby food recipe for Bok Choy Rice Porridge, thoughtfully prepared considering your baby’s delicate digestive system. The gentle sweetness of bok choy combined with the smoothness of rice flour creates a delicious meal your baby will love. This guide provides detailed instructions, from using a digital scale and preparing bok choy to blending tips and achieving the perfect consistency.
Ingredients- 10g Rice Flour (or 12g Rice)
- 1 fresh Bok Choy leaf
- 200ml Water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The first step in making baby food is accurate measurement. It’s highly recommended to use a digital scale for precision, especially for rice flour, measuring exactly 10g. Place your bowl on the scale first and press the ‘tare’ button to zero it out before adding the rice flour. Next, measure 200ml of water. Since we’ll be blending the bok choy with some water, pre-measuring the total water amount ensures accuracy and prevents errors later on.
Step 2
When selecting bok choy, opt for fresh, tender green leaves. For baby food, it’s crucial to use only the soft green leaf parts. Trim away the white, firm stem sections as they can be fibrous and tough for a baby’s digestive system. These stem parts can be saved and used in other dishes like soybean paste soup or ramen. We’ll be using only the tender green leaves for the porridge.
Step 3
Take approximately 5g of the tender green bok choy leaves. Wash them thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt or impurities. Ensuring your ingredients are clean is fundamental for preparing safe and healthy baby food.
Step 4
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the washed bok choy leaves and blanch for just 30 seconds, stirring gently. This quick blanching helps to retain the vibrant green color and preserve nutrients.
Step 5
After blanching, gently drain the bok choy. Add a small amount of the pre-measured 200ml water (about 2-3 tablespoons) to a blender along with the blanched bok choy. The remaining water will be used later with the rice flour to cook the porridge. Adding a little water helps the bok choy blend more smoothly.
Step 6
Blend the bok choy and water in the blender until it becomes a very fine, smooth puree. Ensure there are no visible lumps, as smoothness is key for your baby’s easy consumption. Blend for as long as needed, depending on your blender’s power.
Step 7
Carefully pour the finely blended bok choy puree into a clean bowl and set it aside. This puree will be added to the rice porridge to impart a subtle flavor and color.
Step 8
Now, let’s cook the rice porridge. In a pot, combine the measured rice flour and the remaining water (the water left after blanching the bok choy). Place the pot over high heat. From the very beginning, continuously stir with a spatula to prevent the rice flour from sticking to the bottom of the pot. If you stop stirring, even for a moment, lumps can form or the porridge can burn.
Step 9
As you continue to stir and cook, you’ll notice small bubbles appearing around the edges of the pot, indicating it’s about to boil. At this point, reduce the heat to low. Once the heat is low, add the prepared bok choy puree to the pot. Continue to stir gently as you mix it in, and cook for approximately 5 more minutes. This process allows the bok choy’s flavor and aroma to infuse into the rice porridge.
Step 10
While stirring, periodically check the consistency by holding the spatula upright and observing how the porridge flows. When it has a ‘dripping’ consistency – slightly thicker than water but not too stiff, as shown in the picture – remove it from the heat immediately. Rice porridge thickens as it cools, so it’s best to turn off the heat when it has a smooth, flowing texture.
Step 11
A crucial step for early baby food is straining. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a suitable bowl. Pour the cooked porridge from the pot into the sieve. Use your spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot clean, pushing the porridge through the sieve. Any remaining solids on the sieve can be gently pressed down with the spatula to ensure maximum smoothness for your baby.
Step 12
Voila! Your Stage 1 Bok Choy Rice Porridge is ready. Divide the finished porridge into containers, about 50g each. Feed one portion immediately and refrigerate the other two for consumption within two days. Don’t forget to offer your baby water alongside the porridge. Even though it’s a milk-like consistency, it’s good to offer sips of water to support their digestion. While the green color might seem intimidating, many babies surprisingly enjoy the mild sweetness of bok choy with no grassy taste! Give this homemade Bok Choy Rice Porridge a try and embark on a delightful solids journey with your baby!
