Lamb kofta

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz)ground (minced) lambplain, with nothing added (check the label for salt or seasoning)
• ½ smallonion
• 40 g (scant ½ cup)quick or rolled oatsplain, with no added sugar or salt
• 1 tbspfresh mint or parsleyoptional; leaves only, very finely chopped
• ½ tspground cuminoptional
• ½ tspground corianderoptional
• 1 small clovegarlicoptional; finely grated
• 1 tspvegetable or olive oilfor the tray
• 4 tbspplain full-fat yogurtoptional, as a dip; pasteurized and unsweetened. It contains milk: use it only once your baby has had dairy on its own
• 1–2soft flatbreads or pitaoptional, to serve; made with wheat, so offer them only once your baby has had wheat on its own

Steps

1. 1Wash your hands. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking tray. Rinse and peel the onion, then grate it finely and squeeze out the extra juice. Rinse the herbs, pick the leaves off the stems and chop them very finely.
2. 2Put the lamb, onion, oats, herbs, spices and garlic in a bowl and mix well with a fork or clean hands, then cover and rest it in the fridge for 10 minutes so the oats soften. There's no need to rinse raw lamb, and don't taste the raw mixture. Wash your hands, the board and anything else that touched raw lamb in hot, soapy water.
3. 3For your baby, shape the mixture into soft logs about 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in), pressed a little flat, never round balls. Shape the rest into longer kofta for the family. Place them on the tray and brush them lightly with the oil.
4. 4Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning them halfway, until cooked through, with no pink left, and 160°F (71°C) in the center of the thickest one, checked with a food thermometer. Pour off any fat on the tray.
5. 5Let them cool on the tray. Break one open and squash it between your thumb and finger: it should be soft and moist, not firm or rubbery, with no dry or chewy oat flakes. Trim off any crisp edges, and check they're only just warm before serving.