Help. My kids won't eat curry

[Hansel]

I have two young daughters (3 and 6) who I am am trying to get to eat curry but with little success. They are good eaters who like a huge variety of home cooked food, not just the usual kids rubbish like fish fingers and burgers etc. We constantly give them new things to try and after two of three attempts they usually like most things. Not so curry. They love rice, naan and of course poppadoms but even the mildest curry has them retching.

I don't believe young kids just don't like curry. Asian youngsters must eat it as a matter of course. Has anyone cracked a similar problem. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hans

[Ashes]

Hi Hansel!

My oldest daughter has always enjoyed curry (11 yrs old), my youngest one got used to it gradually. I think she got a separate meal when we ate curry, (rice, yoghurt, bread and some form of protein)  then we scraped the sauce off and gave her mostly just chicken, now i have to make sure there is enough for everyone

Kids generally like tacos, which is spicy and slightly hot, so curry isnt too many steps away if they like that kind of food. Also there is plenty of different indian recipes that isnt curry (tandoori and tikkis are popular). That could be a better starting point? Also there are several different types of curry, not just mild, but fruity, coco nutty and vegetabley, with many different base sauces you can create many variations.

Regards Ashes

[spicysarsy]

Hi Hansel.My two started by trying nan bread, then a korma based sample with rice and chips {of course } they will develop their own taste over time but do try and encourage them to take part in any cooking. {this will provide them with not only the skills, but the opportunity to taste and smell what is cooking constantly }. 

[Chilli Prawn]

My two are now in their 30's and started their curry tasting when only a few months old!  They are passionate about any form of curry now, and are brilliant cooks to boot.  I, my wife, and a lot of my generation started on what they called the English curry, i.e. sultanas raisins mango banana peaches galore; very malaysian or even kashmiri. They were concocted from memories of our troops etc., in India, Burma, Malaya and so on.

I wouldn't go near the stuff now or would my kids, however it may well be worth you considering fruit & meat curries of some sort, e.g. West Indian, Polynesian, Malay.  They need not have any chilli hotness and you can introduce them to the other spices by stealth.

Good luck
CP

[Hansel]

Thanks
Some useful pointers. I'll make chilli heads of them yet!

[Swampy61]

Hi Hansel,

When I met my wife it wasn't only the kids that didn't like curry.

My wife had a bad experience at a restaurant several years before when someone chose a meal that was too hot and spicy so she was put off trying again.

So I reintroduced her to the delights of an Indian meal by choosing a Korma for her - nice and mild and creamy.

It soon followed that the kids then 7 and 10 got their first curry experience and the rest is history.

THey still don't like them over spicy but there are so many to chose from with such beautiful flavours that it is now almost a weekly ritual. Well it would be if not fot me working away from home.

We also have a 6 year old  who is just begining to try a few mouthfuls.

So my advise is to stick with it and eventually they will be hooked.

Good Luck.

Swampy

[Mark J]

I gave my 1 year old a bit of green chilli, she never trusted me again with anything spicy