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Lito (sarbottam pitho porridge)
6m+ · Nepal's home-roasted 'super flour' of soybean, maize and wheat cooked into a smooth weaning porridge
Ask a mother in Kathmandu, Pokhara or a hill village what her baby eats after the pasni rice-feeding ceremony, and the answer is often lito: porridge made from sarbottam pitho, a 'super flour' that families roast and grind themselves from two parts soybean to one part each of maize and wheat. Cooked with water it becomes a smooth, nutty, toast-coloured porridge with more protein than plain rice. For babies there is no salt, sugar, jaggery, honey or ghee needed. It contains soya and wheat (gluten). Chef's tip: roast the grains separately, each until it smells nutty and cracks between your teeth, then grind and sieve; the beans need longest.
- Total time
- 12 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 1
Baby & toddler safety
- Age: from 6 months+.
- Allergens: contains gluten (wheat, barley, rye or oats). Offer one new allergen at a time, in the morning, so you can watch for a reaction.
- Texture and choking: purée or mash smoothly for 6–9 months, then soft, finger-sized pieces that squash between your fingers. Cut round foods such as grapes and cherry tomatoes into quarters lengthways, never give whole nuts, and always stay with your child while they eat.
- Under 1: no honey, no added salt or stock cubes, and no added sugar.
Every child is different. If you are unsure, especially about allergies, check with your health visitor or paediatrician.
Ingredients
- ⅔ oz sarbottam pitho (roasted soybean, maize and wheat mix)about 2 heaped tbsp, finely ground
- ¾ cup waterplus extra to thin
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: If you are making the mix yourself, roast soybeans, maize and wheat separately in a dry pan over a low heat until golden and nutty, cool, grind as fine as possible and sieve. Keep it in a dry, airtight jar and use within a month.
Step 2: Whisk ⅔ oz sarbottam pitho (roasted soybean, maize and wheat mix) into the cold ¾ cup water in a small pan until smooth. Common mistake: adding the mix to boiling water, which forms lumps a baby cannot manage.
1 minStep 3: Bring to a gentle simmer over a low heat and cook, stirring all the time, for 7–8 minutes, until thick, smooth and no longer tasting raw.
8 minStep 4: Press through a fine sieve if any grainy bits remain, then thin with boiled water or your baby's usual milk until it slides off a spoon. Serve lukewarm. Offer soya and wheat for the first time on a morning when you can watch your baby for a reaction.
Step 5: Cool any extra quickly, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze in small pots for up to 1 month. Reheat only once until steaming hot throughout, then cool before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 80 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lito (sarbottam pitho porridge) take?
- About 12 minutes in total: 2 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 1 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
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