Smooth Rice Cereal for Baby (Mi-eum)
Making Your Baby’s First Food: Gentle Rice Cereal (Early Stage Baby Food)
When is the right time to start solid foods for your baby? While there’s no single fixed date, it’s generally recommended to begin between 4 and 6 months of age. Aim to start by 6 months (26 weeks) at the latest. As this is my third child, I tried to delay it as much as possible – making baby food requires even more dedication than preparing a meal for adults, right? Second-time moms, you understand! However, my baby would constantly lick their lips whenever we ate and even snatch my older child’s ice cream, looking at us with such longing eyes. So, I decided to start at 150 days with this simple rice cereal. For the initial stage of baby food, we start with rice. After feeding the baby rice cereal for about 4 days, if there are no adverse reactions (skin issues, changes in stool), you can gradually introduce single vegetables.
Ingredients- Soaked Rice: 15g (1 heaping tablespoon)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Since this is your baby’s first solid food, we’ll grind the rice as finely as possible. Use a blender or food processor to grind the rice until it resembles rice flour. Even if a few small grains remain, it’s okay because we’ll strain it later.
Step 2
Add a bit more water to the ground rice (including the water used for grinding) and bring it to a boil. The general ratio of water to rice is about 10:1. Depending on the heat intensity, the water might reduce, so feel free to add more water as needed while cooking.
Step 3
Stir the mixture frequently with a wooden spoon or a silicone baby food spoon as it boils. This is crucial to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 4
Once the mixture thickens and the rice grains have fully broken down into a porridge-like consistency, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. Press the porridge through the sieve with the back of a spoon to ensure a smooth texture, removing any remaining hulls or undissolved grains.
Step 5
After straining, allow the rice cereal to cool down to a temperature that is safe and comfortable for your baby to eat. Ensuring it’s lukewarm is vital to prevent any burns. Congratulations, your smooth and easily digestible rice cereal is ready!
