Famous five go to China - Asian style salmon
A prep the night before dish, with the powerful Chinese five spice – that mixes the five sensations of sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. Salmon is a great starter food for baby led weaning, it's soft and full of omega 3, essential for brain development. You will notice I never skimp out on the spice! Why would you? A baby knows nothing on taste asides from its mothers milk/formula, but likewise it's never eaten solid food before – so if you offer solid food that's spicy it will make that sensory connection, offer plain food again and again so “baby has time to settle in…” it will, no doubt reject spice when it's offered, its senses will say hmmm that's not right…a month on plain food is a very long time, if you have only existed for 6 months. You want to build lots of sensory connections from day dot!
Feeds 2 grown-ups and 1 little one
Ingredients for salmon
1 Teaspoon Chinese five spice
Thumb size ginger grated
1 red onion chopped
1 red medium chilli chopped (not the super hot ones!)
Juice of 1 lime and 1 lemon
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 salmon fillets, skin on and pin-boned– your choice on size!
Ingredients for noodles
1 Tsp Chinese 5 spice
Fresh is best
1 red medium chilli chopped (not the super hot ones!)
Thumb size bit of ginger grated
5 spring onions chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
Approximately a litre of veggie stock (low salt if you plan to give noodles to baby)
3 tsp cornflour
1tbsp olive oil
Around 200g of medium egg noodles
Method
Salmon
1. Mix all ingredients (asides from salmon and spice) and put in an oven dish with the salmon on top, skin side up.
2. Sprinkle the five spice over the salmon and the onion/chilli mix its sitting on
3. Cover with foil and pop in fan oven at 190C and cook for around 20-30 mins
4. Remove salmon skin to serve, the onion/chill mix is a dressing to be scattered on top.
Noodles
1. Heat oil and gently fry ginger, spring onion and garlic and chilli
2. Take off heat and add cornflour and spice and stir
3. Add stock and bring to boil
4. Pop in noodles and cook on a high heat, it should bubble hard – take around 3-5 mins
Tips
I prep the salmon the night before and pop in fridge! I also prep the fresh ingredients for the noodles and even measure the cornflour/spices out into a small dish! Have my stock cube in a jug ready! Spices – you will notice I never skimp out on the spice! Why would you? A baby knows nothing on taste asides from its mothers milk/formula, but likewise it's never eaten solid food before – so if you offer solid food that's spicy it will make that sensory connection, offer plain food again and again so “baby has time to settle in…” it will, no doubt reject spice when it's offered, its senses will say hmmm that's not right…a month on plain food is a very long time, if you have only existed for 6 months. You want to build lots of sensory connections from day dot!
Facts
Chinese Five Spice is the result of the Chinese attempting to produce the ultimate “wonder powder”, incorporating all five taste sensation: sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. Salmon is a great fish to eat – its high in omega 3, essential for brain development, and really low in mercury!