General Information
- Servings: 4
- Keywords: Takana Gohan, Japanese, toddler-friendly, no-salt, low-sugar, family, rice, mustard greens
- Calories: ~330 kcal per serving (approximate)
- Protein: ~8 g per serving (approximate)
- Carbs: ~53 g per serving (approximate)
- Fats: ~6 g per serving (approximate)
- Preparation time: 20 minutes (active)
- Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 250 g Japanese short-grain rice (uncooked)
- 300 ml water for cooking rice (see notes if using a rice cooker)
- 200 g fresh takana or mustard greens (about 1 bunch)
- 1 medium carrot, about 100 g
- 100 g frozen shelled edamame (unsalted)
- 1/2 nori sheet, unsalted (optional, for gentle sea flavour)
- 10 g toasted white or black sesame seeds (about 1 tablespoon)
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil (1 tablespoon)
- A little cool boiled water, or breastmilk/formula if you use that for mixing for tiny mouths, to loosen rice if needed
Notes on ingredients:
- I avoid adding salt or any high-salt condiments. If you usually use soy sauce, skip it here.
- Choose unsalted, frozen shelled edamame. If fresh edamame is available, fine, but shell and cook the beans.
- For takana, if you can only find pickled takana they are usually salty and not suitable for this recipe. Use fresh leafy mustard greens instead.
Ingredients preparation (very detailed for new cooks)
- Rice
- Measure 250 g rice on kitchen scales if you have them.
- Put rice in a bowl, fill with cold water, swirl the rice with your hand for 20 seconds, then pour off the cloudy water. Repeat 2 or 3 times until the water is mostly clear. This makes the rice less sticky.
- After rinsing, drain rice in a sieve for 2 minutes.
- Put rinsed rice in your rice pot or rice cooker and add 300 ml cold water. If your rice cooker has a cup marking follow that instead.
- If you are using a pot on the stove, place a tight-fitting lid on the pot when cooking.
- Takana (mustard greens)
- Rinse the takana leaves under cold running water to remove grit.
- Hold the bunch and cut away any thick white stems with a small knife. Toddlers need soft pieces, so remove the large fibrous parts.
- Chop the leaves finely on a board into strips about 3 to 5 mm wide. You want small pieces so they are soft and not a choking risk. If the leaves are very big, cut twice at different angles so the pieces are small.
- Carrot
- Peel the carrot with a peeler and then grate it on the fine side of a box grater. Fine grated carrot becomes soft when mixed into warm rice and is easy for little mouths.
- Edamame
- Put the frozen edamame into a small saucepan of boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, until hot and tender. Drain and cool slightly.
- Shell the beans from their pods. Put the beans in a small bowl and gently mash with a fork until most are mashed but some small bits remain for texture. The mash prevents whole beans being a choking hazard.
- Sesame seeds
- Put the seeds in a dry frying pan over low heat. Shake the pan or stir for 1 to 2 minutes until they smell nutty and are a shade darker. Watch them closely, they burn fast.
- Put toasted seeds in a small bowl and press briefly with a spoon or use a mortar and pestle to crush them a little. Crushed seeds are less likely to be a choking hazard and they spread flavour more evenly.
- Nori (optional)
- If using nori, place half a sheet on a board and use scissors or a knife to cut it into very thin strips, then run your knife over the strips until the pieces are tiny flakes. Nori usually sticks to rice and will not be a choking risk when well shredded.
Directions
I’m James. By day I try to outsmart cyber troublemakers, by night I try to outsmart dinner boredom while my toddler inspects every spoon in the kitchen. This is a calm, simple version of Takana Gohan that toddlers can eat safely. Follow each step slowly, and test temperature and texture before feeding your child.
- Cook the rice
- If using a rice cooker: put the rinsed rice and 300 ml water in the cooker and start it. When it finishes, let it sit with the lid closed for 10 minutes. This resting time makes the rice fluffier.
- If using a pot: put rinsed rice and 300 ml water in the pot, cover, bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to very low heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep the lid on for 10 minutes. Do not lift the lid while cooking.
- After resting, gently fluff the rice with a rice paddle or fork. Fluffing stops big clumps and makes mixing easier.
- Prepare the takana and carrot (if you have not already)
- Bring a small saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Drop in the prepared takana leaves for 30 to 45 seconds until they become bright green and softer.
- Immediately transfer the leaves to a bowl of cold water or cool tap water to stop the cooking, then drain well in a sieve and squeeze gently to remove excess water. Squeeze only until mostly dry so the rice does not get soggy.
- Make sure the takana pieces are chopped into small strips about 3 to 5 mm. If any pieces look large, chop again on the board.
- Mix the components
- Put the warm rice in a large mixing bowl. Warm rice mixes more easily and helps the carrot soften a little.
- Add the chopped takana, grated carrot, and mashed edamame to the rice.
- Sprinkle in the crushed sesame seeds and the tiny flakes of nori if you are using them.
- Drizzle the 15 ml olive oil over the top. The oil helps everything come together and gives a little healthy fat for tiny tummies.
- Mix gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until everything is evenly distributed. Taste a tiny bit yourself. There is no added salt here, so the flavour will be mild and fresh.
- Check texture and temperature
- The rice should be slightly sticky but loose. If it is too firm, sprinkle a teaspoon of cool boiled water at a time and mix until the texture is softer for little mouths.
- Cool a small pinch on the inside of your wrist before offering to your toddler. Rice can hold heat in the middle, so mix and test well.
- Serving ideas for toddlers
- Spoon into a shallow bowl. Press lightly with the back of the spoon to make small rice clumps that a toddler can pick up easily.
- For younger toddlers who are still mastering chewing, press a small amount into a soft rice ball about the size of a plum, then cut into bite sized sections or mash slightly with a fork.
- For older toddlers, let them explore with a child-safe spoon.
Family-friendly tips from a dad who has Googled “how to stop rice going cold fast” at 9 pm:
- Make double and freeze small portions in silicone cupcake liners so you can thaw a tiny lunch without cooking.
- If your little one refuses green stuff today, hide more of the greens in the rice and call it “super rice”. No detective needed, kids will usually give you at least one bite.
Recommended Sides
- Soft steamed pumpkin or sweet potato, mashed and cooled to a safe temperature.
- Soft tofu cubes, lightly pan warmed and cut into 1 cm pieces, checked for temperature and texture.
- Slices of steamed pear or baked apple, very soft and cut into long thin strips to avoid round chokes.
- A small bowl of plain yogurt or unsweetened dairy-free yogurt for dipping, if your family uses yogurt.
Jokes
- Why did the rice bring a coat to dinner? Because it heard things were going to get a little chilly after sitting! (Dad joke, approved by one small critic in the highchair.)
- What did the mustard leaf say to the rice? “Lettuce be friends!” My toddler laughs every time, and then inspects the spoon.
- Why did the cybersecurity dad put sesame seeds on the rice? To add a little crunch to the firewall of flavour.
If you want, I can give a version with flaked cooked salmon for extra protein, or show how to freeze portions for busy nights. Which would you prefer?
Shop Ingredients
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- carrot, about
- frozen shelled edamame
- Japanese short-grain rice
- nori sheet, unsalted
- takana or mustard
- water for cooking
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