Quinoa banana porridge

• 50 g (¼ cup)quinoaplain and uncooked
• 350 ml (1½ cups)waterfrom 12 months, you can use whole cow's milk for some of it. Offer it only once dairy has been introduced on its own
• ½ripe bananayellow with brown speckles, so it mashes easily
• 1–2 tbspbreast milk or formulaoptional, to loosen your baby's portion just before serving

Steps

1. 1Wash your hands. Put the quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse it under cold running water for about a minute, rubbing the grains between your fingers, until the water runs clear. This washes off saponins, natural compounds on the outside of the seeds that taste bitter. Rinse it even if the pack says it's pre-washed.
2. 2Put the quinoa and water in a small pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring now and then, a little longer than the package says, until the grains are very soft and have split open. Add a splash of water if it gets dry. Don't add salt, sugar, honey or syrup.
3. 3Rinse the banana under running water, even though you'll peel it. Peel it and mash it smooth with a fork.
4. 4Take your baby's portion out and stir in some of the banana. At 6 months, blend or mash it until smooth, with no firm grains left. From 9 months, you can mash it lightly instead, as long as each grain squashes flat. If it's too thick, loosen it with breast milk or formula just before serving. Keep any quinoa you're saving plain, without banana, breast milk or formula.
5. 5Let it cool, stir well to get rid of hot spots, and check the temperature before serving. Press a little between your thumb and finger: it should mash flat, with no firm grains.