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Tom Brown
Roasted maize and groundnut porridge
6m+ · Ghana's smooth weaning porridge of roasted maize, groundnut and soya, cooked with water
Tom Brown is the porridge Ghanaian babies grow up on: a blend of roasted maize, groundnuts (peanuts) and soya beans, ground fine and sold in bags at Makola Market in Accra and in clinics' nutrition corners, or roasted and milled at home. Cooked with water it becomes a smooth, beige porridge that smells of toasted corn and peanuts, and it is rich in protein and energy. It is loved in Nigeria too. For babies there is no salt, sugar, evaporated milk or honey. It contains peanuts and soya. Chef's tip: early, regular peanut is recommended for most babies, but if your baby has severe eczema or a known egg allergy, talk to your health visitor or doctor before the first spoonful.
- Total time
- 12 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 1
Baby & toddler safety
- Age: from 6 months+.
- Allergens: contains peanuts, soya. 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 Tom Brown mix (finely ground roasted maize, groundnut and soya)about 2 heaped tbsp
- ¾ cup waterplus extra to thin
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: To make your own mix, roast maize kernels, shelled groundnuts and soya beans separately in a dry pan until golden, cool, then mill as finely as possible and sieve. Never give babies whole or chopped nuts; the nuts must be ground to a powder.
Step 2: Mix ⅔ oz Tom Brown mix (finely ground roasted maize, groundnut and soya) with about a quarter of the cold 3 ½ tbsp water to a smooth paste.
1 minStep 3: Bring the rest of the ¾ cup water to the boil in a small pan, then lower the heat and whisk in the paste.
2 minStep 4: Simmer, stirring all the time, for 6–8 minutes, until thick, smooth and no longer floury. Common mistake: cooking it too briefly; the raw grains taste bitter and are harder to digest.
8 minStep 5: Thin with boiled water or your baby's usual milk until it drips from the spoon and cool to lukewarm. Offer the first taste on a morning and watch for any reaction for two hours.
Step 6: Cool any left over quickly, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat only once until piping hot throughout, then cool before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 95 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tom Brown 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.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
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