Mozuku is widely known as an adult food with an addictive flavor and salty taste, but it can actually be prepared as baby food as well.
The key is to start giving it to babies in the later stages of weaning (9-11 months) and to cut it as finely as possible so that it is easy to eat.
Mozuku is a highly nutritious food rich in minerals. Try to incorporate it into your baby food.
The article includes cooking tips and reference recipes. If you are wondering if there is a good weaning food menu, please check the contents of the article.
Mozuku in weaning food from around the latter stage of weaning (9-11 months)
Things to keep in mind when feeding
Mozuku is rich in minerals and also contains iron, although to a lesser extent than wakame or turnip. It is also rich in fucoidan, which is considered to be good for the body, and should be actively included in baby food for the healthy growth of your baby.
The standard age for incorporating mozuku into baby food is from 9 to 11 months, which is considered to be the latter stage of weaning. Mozuku must be heated before feeding to babies.
Since mozuku is slimy and crunchy, babies cannot chew it well with their chewing strength.
Be sure to cut it into small pieces so that it is easy to eat.
Preparation of mozuku for baby food
The following is a detailed explanation of the preparation of mozuku before cooking.
Use only fresh mozuku seaweed.
Commercial mozuku seaweed is seasoned strongly to make it tasty for adults. It is not advisable to feed mozuku to babies as it is because of its high salt content.
When using mozuku for baby food, choose unseasoned raw mozuku.
Preparing raw mozuku is easy!
When using raw mozuku for baby food, prepare it quickly.
The steps are as follows
- Wash lightly.
Put the mozuku seaweed in a colander and rinse it quickly with water.
- Cut into small pieces.
Cut mozuku into small pieces according to the size your baby can eat. Even in the later stages of weaning, the baby's chewing ability is still weak, so chopping the mozuku into small pieces is recommended.
- Boiling
Boil the raw mozuku seaweed in hot water or soup stock, along with other ingredients. Mozuku with salt on it should not be given to babies.
If mozuku has salt on it, remove the salt by blanching before adding to soup stock.
Recommended Mozuku Recipes for Baby Food
We have picked up two examples of recipes using mozuku for baby food from Cookpad.
If your baby can't eat all of the mozuku, adults can enjoy it as well.
・Mozuku Soup
Ingredients (2 to 3 servings)
10 g fresh mozuku seaweed (not salted)
1 cm carrot, shredded
Half a large cabbage, shredded
1/6 bag enoki mushrooms (1.5 cm)
1/6 onion, shredded
1 leek (1.5 cm)
Half a ham, cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon canned corn
100㏄ bonito stock or water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
A pinch of salt and pepper
A little sesame oil
Directions
Cut ingredients into small pieces. Cut mozuku seaweed into small pieces that can be eaten by babies.
Put carrot, cabbage, onion and soup stock in a pot and heat.
When it comes to a boil, add enoki mushrooms, ham and chives, and when all the ingredients are cooked, add mozuku seaweed and canned corn.
Add soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste, sesame oil and turn off the heat.
Depending on the age of your baby, you may want to use chicken broth instead of soup stock. In that case, reduce the amount of soy sauce a little.
Cut vegetables into shorter pieces than adults eat, so that even babies can eat more easily.
・Mozuku Zosui (rice porridge with mozuku seaweed)
Ingredients (2 to 3 servings)
100 g fresh mozuku seaweed (not salted)
200 g rice
Half a carrot
Half an onion
750cc water
50cc men-tsuyu (3 times concentrated)
1 beaten egg
Directions
Finely chop carrot.
Put carrot into soup stock (men-tsuyu).
Finely chop onion.
Put the ingredients in a pot and simmer until softened.
Finely chop mozuku seaweed and add to the pot.
Finally, add rice and when it comes to a boil, add a beaten egg
Light flavor, even adults on a diet can enjoy this dish.
Summary: Mozuku baby food should be seasoned and cooked in a baby-friendly way.
Mozuku is a health food that is rich in minerals and fucoidan, which is considered to be good for health.
Why not include it in the weaning food menu for babies in the later stages of weaning (9-11 months)?
The key to cooking is to season the food for babies and cut the food into easy-to-eat sizes.
It is strictly forbidden to use the same seasoning as for adults, so pay close attention.
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