erm, does your 2yo eat chicken tikka?

[lucysmam]

or other spicy/hot foods?

Just wondered as my 2yo has just helped me polish off the MOF tikka that I made the other day, without batting an eyelid at the heat/spiciness, she just kept coming back for "mooooooore mummy" & munching it with a huge grin on her face

My oh on the other hand, struggles with spicy foods & sweats buckets & complains that his mouth is on fire even though he enjoys the flavours.

yes, one of mine loves it. dt1 (3) ordered hot wings and chips from kfc He licked the bones clean.

He eats chips with tabasco sauce.

I do wonder if it is good for him to eat such strong spices but he really enjoys them. I have some leftover vindaloo in the fridge from our dinner yesterday and I know he'd lvoe it, but I'm hestitant.

curries are def great for hiding veg too. It's really easy to knock up a curry in ten mins froma bag of green beans, a few aubergines, or whatever you have handy. My children def enjoy their veg more when it has spices with it.

chips with tobasco? Well I've never tried that myself so may investigate next time we have chips!

I was hesitant simply because I didn't expect a good reaction tbh. I expected her not to like them or for them to 'blow her head off' iyswim. But obviously I'm very over cautious if so many others are happily feeding their kids chilli and curries! Veg curry sounds like something worth trying . . . for us all, not just the lo. Definately worth a try

How do you do yours, Chops?

I do all sorts, we eat a lot of indian food as dp is indian. He won't eat chips without tabasco!

A really easy one is to heat some oil, then fry a tsp of cumin seeds and a tsp of black mustard seeds (soemtimes also a pinch aesofetida, particulary with green veg) until they start to pop. Add in chopped veg and then enough water to jsut cover it, then add powdered spices. Usually about a tsp of red chilli, 1-2 tsp cumin, 1-2 tsp coriander powder, tsp of turmeric, salt and sugar. THen one larged diced tomato. Simmer til veg is soft and water has reduced.

This works with anythign really - potatoes, green beans, aubergines, okra, peppers and courgettes.

Thanks Chops, I'll have a go on my next weeks meal plan as I've already planned for the rest of this week.

What else do your kids like, if you don't mind me asking, since I'm going to try being more adventurous with what mine has

Mine eat anything and everything, really. I do have one who is a bit fussier, but will usually eat spicier foods with yoghurt mixed in.

A huge favourite is morroccan spiced chicken with morrocan rice and spiced yoghurt. There is never leftovers from that. They also like tagines.

Other indian food they really like include pakoras and bhajia, parathas, paneer (jalfrezi/muttar/shahi/tikka), bengali fish stew, indian roast cod with potato basmati, dosa (savoury pancakes filled with potato curry), jeera chicken, green (coriander) chicken curry...

We add spice to most things. I make shepherds pie as a fusion with indian spices so that is is almost like keema lamb with mash topping. I make stew with scotch bonnets thrown in and paprika and add chopped coriander to the dumplings.

Chinese food is also another big hit. My youngest adores duck (and goose!). Kung po chicken, tofu and mushrooms, steamed sea bass with ginger, etc.

I go to wembley/Harrow way once a month or so, stock up on spices and things from the indian and chinese wholesalers. Some ingredients are a bit hard to get in local supermarkets. But, in the long run I find it really saves money, indian/chinese food is so cheap to make and you can stretch a little bit of meat quite far. I can get a big pack of thighs/drumsticks half of that makes a meat curry, and a packet of beans or whatever makes a veggie curry to go with it and that feeds all 6 of us.

If you want any recipes let me know.

My 20 month old dd2 loves spicy food. She eats things even I don't like, spicy tomato pasta, curry, spicy chicken, chilli con carne.

DD1 feels the need to clean her tongue by way of licking my trousers if anything remotely spicy comes her way.

lmao @ your dd1 SheSells That really made me giggle!

Chops, what is/are parathas & paneer? Potato curry would go down well here I think.

Could I have a recipe for the green chicken curry please, I have loads of fresh coriander atm for some reason (blame my oh picking random stuff up in town). & the moroccan spiced chicken, if you've time.

I'm amazed at the variety they eat tbh, mine's boring in comparison! Think I need to have a re-think & start looking around for some more worldly dishes to serve up for all of us, a bit more variety maybe

bumpety bump for me, in case ChopsTheDuck is around

potato curry you can make with the recipe I already posted, and it is heavenly, I can eat that til it comes out of my ears! I include the aesofetida for that.

parathas are flakey flatbreads. Can be made from scratch - we often make them stuffed with cauliflowerand then eat them with yoghurt. Or wherever they sell asian food you can usually buy packs frozen with sping onion, garlic or chilli. The kids love them, and they are a quick lunch.

paneer is indian cottage cheese, can buy that in most supermarkets. It can be cooked and doesn't melt. One of our favourites is to dice it and marniate it in yoghurt with chilli, cumin, salt and lemon juice then mix in sauteed pepper and bake in the oven til the paneer is soft and cooked. Panner is also a big hit with kids.

dhania chicken
3cm ginger, chopped
5 cloves garlic chopped
salt
2tbsp lemon juice
4 chiocken legs skinned and seperated into thighs and drumsticks
1 med tomato, chopped
90g fresh coriander
2-3 hot green chillis chopped
3 tbsp olive or corn oil
250 ml yoghurt

blend the garlic ginger lemon juicea nd salt with about 2 tbsp ofr water.

Marinate the chicken in this mix for 30 mins minimum, the longer the better

don't bother to clean the blender, and put in the tomato and puree, coriander, chillis, salta and 2 tbsp of water, blend.

Pour oil into large pan, and fry the chicken pieces til browned. Add the second mixture fromt he blender and cook until the mixture is thick and clinging to the chicken and the oil seperates so you see it round the edge of the pan.

Add the yoghurt slowly, and cook until the yoghurt disappears, 4-5 mins. COver and cook til chicken cooked, about 5-10 mins.

Moroccan Spiced chicken
The original recipe was for baby chickens, I tend to get one big one and butterfly it, so it cooks quicker.

Marinate:
2tsp cumin
tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
2tbsp olive oil

Mix all the marinate ingredients, rub over chicken (I cut lots of slits to get the marinate right inside). Leave for few hours then bake/roast. This can also be barbequed, but the spiced juice that comes off the chicken is divine poured over the chicken and rice so I prefer to do it in the oven so I don't lose the jucies!

Spiceds yoghurt to accompany is:

1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
2cm ginger, grated/pureed
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup chopped coriander
1/4 cup parsley
2/3 cup yoghurt

Mix and serve. I also find it needs salt, though that wasn't on the original recipe.

Much appreciated Chops, I'll definately be trying the potato one out at some point over the weekend while we've got a lo free house

The Morroccan chicken sounds lovely as well, will make a pleasant change from a roast on Sunday & the lo loves rice so that should go down very well with her