Indian Cooking For Dummies. Monisha Bharadwaj

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       Start them early. If you’re keen to get your kids to eat a variety of foods, it’s a good idea to begin early when their tastes and habits are forming. They’ll probably get used to variety if they’re introduced to it as soon as they’re ready to be weaned.

       Start babies with a gently spiced drink. Even before weaning begins, you can gently teach babies to enjoy spices. Boil 1 cup of water with ¼ teaspoon of fennel seeds. Cool the drink to a safe, drinkable temperature, and offer it to your baby once every few days.

       Cook a chile-free curry for toddlers. There are plenty of flavors that children can enjoy in an Indian meal, but chile is not at the top of that list! Instead, you can let them enjoy the tastes and aromas of cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon, and nutmeg, none of which is pungent.

       Feed young children yogurt and rice. Lots of Indian children love this creamy combination. Add a spoonful of a mild curry or even a mild mango chutney on the side, and you may find that it becomes a much-loved dinner. If your little one accepts and appreciates yogurt and rice, try adding some vegetables to the rice — I added cooked peas and finely diced cucumber and tomatoes to my children’s meals.

       Get older children to help with the cooking. Rolling out naans, pounding spice seeds in a mortar and pestle, whisking a batter, and sprinkling in spices can all be fun! If you get your kids involved in the kitchen and give them tasks that are safe and playful, they may want to eat the fruits of their labor!

       Eat together and eat the same meal. With my children, I found that they accepted whatever was on the table because we were all eating the same thing, together. The meal was full of flavor, and they were encouraged to try everything. I don’t ever remember making separate meals when they were old enough to eat at the table.

       It’s great for your health. Fruits and vegetables are more nutritious when they’re in season. Strawberries ripen well in the summer sun, and they struggle when they don’t have optimum growing and ripening conditions. Winter tomatoes are often watery and dull. Nutrient-rich foods hold the promise of good health, so why wouldn’t we choose them?

       It tastes great. This is why farmer’s markets are so popular — seasonal food tastes like it should! If you’ve ever grown your own vegetables, you don’t need me to tell you any more. Fruits and vegetables are seasonal for a reason. Keep in harmony with the balance of nature, and you’ll give yourself the best chance of good health.

       It’s great for the environment. You may argue that a food is in season somewhere in the world year-round. But transporting it to your local store means fuel emissions and a relatively long delay between harvesting and being on your table. You’re probably thinking that so many Indian ingredients are flown into our markets when they’re in season in faraway countries like India and Kenya. True, but in some recipes, you can swap some of those with what’s growing near you.

       It’s great for your budget. When foods are in season, markets are flooded with them, so naturally, prices go down. You’ll know this if you’ve ever tried to buy apricots in the winter. As for Alphonso mangoes, thankfully, you can’t buy them out of season, for love or money.