A soft finger-food lunch for one child aged 9 months who is developmentally ready for complementary foods and able to manage soft finger foods. Offer according to appetite; there is no need to finish the portion.

1. Use the listed ingredient amounts. Peel the potato and carrot, then cut them into small pieces. Remove any bones, tough fat and connective tissue from the lamb, then finely mince it.
2. Place the potato and carrot in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, adding the peas for the final 5–7 minutes. Continue cooking if needed until every vegetable squashes easily between your thumb and forefinger.
3. Meanwhile, put the minced lamb in a small saucepan with a splash of water. Cover and cook gently for about 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly and breaking up clumps. Check that the meat reaches at least 71°C with a food thermometer; cook longer if needed.
4. Drain the vegetables, reserving a little cooking water. Mash thoroughly, crushing every pea so none remain whole. Mix in the cooked lamb, breaking up any remaining meat clumps. Add a little reserved cooking water only if needed to make the mixture moist and soft.
5. Let the mixture cool enough to handle, then gently shape it into flattened fingers approximately 5–6 cm long, 2 cm wide and 1 cm thick. They should squash easily between your thumb and forefinger, with no hard edges or chewy pieces.
6. Cool to a comfortable eating temperature before serving. Seat your child upright and supervise closely throughout the meal.

Storage

Refrigerate untouched portions in a covered container within 2 hours of cooking and use within 24 hours. Reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout and reaching 74°C, then cool before serving. Discard leftovers from your child's plate.

Allergens

The listed ingredients are not common major allergens, but reactions to any food are possible. Check packaged ingredients for allergen cross-contact and use plain ingredients without additions. If an ingredient is new to your child, introduce it separately before offering this mixed meal.