Indian Food Kids Will Eat

I realize there are probably kids out there who will gobble up spicy chana masala or matar paneer. But despite showing early enthusiasm for Indian cuisine (it might have helped that I ate it every day while pregnant), my girls started rejecting these yummy dishes around age two. The spiciness factor is certainly an issue for some kids, while I think general toddler pickiness plays a big part.

So here is my "go to" Indian recipe for when I'm really craving all those gorgeous spices - and surprisingly, my kids love it! (It may help that we often order naan bread from the Indian restaurant down the road to go with the meal).

Kiddy Curry

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 small onion, chopped (or if your kids hate onions, just use onion powder!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece of ginger, minced (or half tsp dried ginger)
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp curry powder (I love Cardomom and Cloves for fresh, tasty mixes)
1/2 tsp cumin, ground
1/2 tsp ground coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
1.5 cups chicken or veggie stock
1/4 cup ground almonds (almond flour)
2 apples, peeled and chopped
1 cup frozen peas

Garnishes: greek yogurt, chopped fresh cilantro, SPICE (this one's important, as I don't spice the dish before I serve it to the kids. I add my own spiciness!)

Heat the coconut oil, and saute the onion, garlic and ginger for five minutes. Add the chopped potatoes and spices and mix to coat. Pour in the stock (you may need slightly more than 1.5 cups or slightly less - you don't want it too runny!). Add the almond flour, and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and add the apples. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, and then mix in the frozen peas. Give it a taste, and see if it needs any more curry powder, coriander, salt, whatever!

Serve over a bed of rice. I also make raita (a yogurt dip) to go with this.

Tip: sometimes I make this dish too runny. If it ends up like that, I will mix 1 tbsp of arrowroot flour (or corn starch) with 1 tbsp water, and pour it in. This will thicken it up to a curried consistency.

Do your kids enjoy Indian food?