Colocasia & rice mash — a creamy, energy-dense lunch for healthy weight gain (6–12 months)
Creamy, starchy colocasia mashed with ghee — a gentle, energy-dense first food for healthy weight gain.
Why am I making this?
Colocasia (arbi) is a starchy root that gives more energy per spoon than rice alone — ideal for a baby who needs to gain. Its creamy, smooth texture when mashed is gentle and easy to swallow, and a little ghee lifts the calories further. A comforting, energy-dense lunch that helps a slim baby fill out the healthy way, without needing larger portions.
Ancient text
Wholesome roots and tubers, well cooked, are nourishing and sustaining. Such unctuous, wholesome food is स्निग्ध (snigdha) — nourishing — and बृंहण (brimhana), weight-building.
The classical scriptures count wholesome roots and tubers, well cooked, among the nourishing and sustaining foods — the tradition behind cooking starchy roots soft for the young.
Sushruta Samhita — the sections on roots and tubers (kanda varga). Reviewed by the Aayu Ahaar editorial team.
Modern research
Colocasia is an energy-dense, starchy root providing more calories than an equal weight of rice, plus fibre and some potassium; mashing it soft with energy-dense ghee raises the meal's calories without raising its volume — the recommended approach for healthy weight gain. It must be cooked fully soft.
Indian Food Composition Tables, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), 2017 — colocasia energy and composition. World Health Organization and Indian Academy of Pediatrics — energy-dense foods for healthy weight gain in infants.
How to make it
What you'll need
- 1 small colocasia (arbi / taro), peeled and cubed
- 2 tbsp soft cooked rice
- 1.5 tsp ghee, a pinch of cumin
- A little water or milk to loosen
- Steam or pressure-cook the peeled colocasia until completely soft (it must be fully cooked).
- Mash it smooth with the soft rice — colocasia gives a lovely creamy, starchy texture.
- Stir in the ghee and a pinch of cumin while warm, loosening with a little water or milk.
- Cool to lukewarm and serve smooth.
How to feed it
| Texture | Smooth, creamy mash; loosen with water or milk |
| Quantity | 3–5 tablespoons as a meal |
| Frequency | 2–3 times a week, rotating with other lunches |
| First time | Offer a small amount and watch for any reaction |
What's inside
Grow this recipe with your child
| 6–8 months | Fully soft, smooth mash with a little ghee |
| 8–12 months | A few soft lumps; add a pinch of cumin |
| 1 year+ | Soft arbi with rice, or gently roasted arbi pieces |
What every mother asks
Doesn't colocasia cause itching?
Is it hard to digest?
Will it really help weight gain?
Can I make it ahead?
A few honest notes
- Always cook colocasia fully soft — raw or undercooked colocasia can irritate the mouth and throat.
- Introduce only from 6 months; introduce as a single new food first, with a 3-day gap.
- No added salt before age one; serve lukewarm.
- If your baby is persistently not gaining weight, see your paediatrician.
Storage & make-ahead
Best made fresh and served lukewarm — colocasia mash firms up on standing. Keeps covered in the fridge for a few hours; warm gently with a little water or milk to loosen. Make fresh for a young baby.
A gentle, honest note — this is one nourishing food among many, not a complete meal on its own. Aayu Ahaar walks beside the doctor's care, never in its place.