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Steamed nendran mash

Steamed nendran mash
Photo: Personal Creations, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons · a similar dish

Ingredients

For 4 servings. 1 serving = 1 adult; a 6-year-old eats about half.

  • Nendran (ripe plantain)1

You need

  • Steamer basket or the idli steamer
  • Sharp knife and chopping board
  • Potato masher or fork
  • Ice-cube trays with lids

Method

  1. Wash 1 nendran (ripe, with black spots) and cut into 2 or 3 pieces, skin on.
  2. Steam over boiling water on medium-high for 10–12 minutes, until the skin splits and a knife slides in easily.
  3. Peel, split each piece lengthways and scrape out the thin black seed line in the centre.
  4. Mash with 60 ml cooled boiled water (or breast milk) until smooth for 6 months, or with soft lumps for 8 months. At 10–12 months, offer soft finger-length strips.
  5. Cool and test on your wrist. Freeze extra mash in a lidded ice-cube tray for up to 1 month. It darkens a little but is fine.

Keeping and freezing

  • Fridge: keeps 1 day in a lidded box. Cool it within an hour of cooking.
  • Freezer: does not freeze well; eat within the fridge time.