Mild turkey chili

• 400 g (14 oz)ground (minced) turkey
• 1onionfinely chopped
• 1red or yellow bell pepper
• 1 can (400 g / 14 oz)kidney beansno salt added; canned, not dried
• 1 can (400 g / 14 oz)black or pinto beansno salt added
• 1 can (400 g / 14 oz)chopped tomatoesno salt added
• 1 tbsptomato paste (purée)check the label for no added salt
• 200 ml (generous ¾ cup)water
• 1 tspsweet (mild) paprikaoptional; not hot or smoked hot paprika, and not chili powder or a chili seasoning mix
• ½ tspground cuminoptional; ground, not whole seeds. If your child has a peanut allergy, read the cumin page first
• 1 clovegarlicfinely minced, optional
• 1 tbspolive or vegetable oil
• 1–2 tbsp per servingplain full-fat yogurtoptional topping; offer only once your baby has had dairy on its own without a reaction

Steps

1. 1Wash your hands. Rinse and peel the onion, then chop it finely. Rinse the pepper under running water, remove the stem, seeds and white ribs, and peel it with a vegetable peeler if you can (the skin can stay tough when the flesh is soft). Chop it into small pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch). Tip the beans into a sieve and rinse them under running water.
2. 2Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-low heat and cook the onion and pepper gently for about 10 minutes, stirring, until soft. Add the garlic, paprika and cumin and stir for 1 minute, without letting them brown.
3. 3Add the turkey and cook it, breaking it up into small crumbs with a wooden spoon, for about 5 to 8 minutes. Don't go by color: the turkey is done when a food thermometer shows 165°F (74°C), which you'll check in the next step. There's no need to rinse raw turkey. Wash your hands, board and spoon after handling it.
4. 4Stir in the beans, tomatoes, tomato paste and water. Simmer, partly covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the pepper squashes easily between your fingers and the sauce is thick. The turkey must reach 165°F (74°C): check with a food thermometer. Don't add salt, chili, stock or seasoning mixes.
5. 5Take your baby's portion out now, before any salt, chili or hot sauce goes in. Stir well so there are no dry clumps of spice, and pick out any curls of pepper skin. For a baby under 9 months, mash or blend it until every bean is broken up. From 9 months, press every bean flat with a fork, and tear each flattened kidney bean in half so no piece is bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch). Spread it in a shallow bowl to cool, stirring, and check it's only just warm before serving.