Okra and Tomato Purée — Southeastern Turkish Style for Babies 10 Months and Up

Use a paring motion to shave the conical stem end of each okra pod without cutting into its body. The goal is to remove the tough stem without opening the seed cavity. Wash the trimmed okra in plenty of cold water and drain.

Score a cross into the bottom of each tomato and dip them in boiling water for thirty seconds, then transfer them to cold water. The skins will loosen on their own at the scored cuts. Unpeeled tomato skin leaves thin, papery pieces in the purée that even a blender cannot break down. Peel and grate the tomatoes.

Heat the olive oil in a pot. Cook the finely chopped onion over low heat for six minutes, stirring, until translucent. Do not let it brown; browned onion would give the purée a flavor that is too sharp for a baby.

Add the okra, grated tomato, and 150 ml water to the pot. Cover and cook over low heat for twenty minutes. Stir without scraping the bottom, gently turning the pods over. The okra is ready when a pod collapses without resistance when pressed with a fork.

Blend the contents of the pot, then transfer to a fine-mesh strainer and press with the back of a spoon. The okra seeds will remain in the strainer; if you skip this step, the purée may look smooth but still contain hard seeds.