Mini-Polyglots in cucina

This post is part of our Mini-Polyglots in cucina series where we share recipes that kids can actually help with, with clearly marked steps for adults and kids alike.

Beyond the recipes, cooking with kids is about linking words to real experiences – the best way to build vocabulary!

Faceți un sos vâscos, toquem num cogumelo poroso. ¡Bated con ímpetu! 💪 Megszórjátok pici tengeri sóval & ajoutez un soupçon de cannelle. ✨

Make a viscous sauce, touch a porous mushroom. Whisk vigorously! Sprinkle a little sea salt & add a dash of cinnamon.

🗣️ Encourage talking, not just listening! Age-dependent! Ask: "What color is this?" "How do we prep it? (Peel? Cut? Wash?) Why?" "What's next?"

One of our favourite recipes to cook with our toddler

If you're hunting for recipes to cook with your toddler that are fast, genuinely kid-involved, and won't leave you picking rejected vegetables off the plate, this is our go-to. It's a Montessori practical life activity disguised as dinner: 30 minutes start-to-finish, clearly marked adult-only and toddler-safe steps, and a sneaky veggie-hider sauce 🤫 (inspired by picnic.nl) that even picky eaters will gobble up.

Tonight's adventure: veggie-loaded fried rice with sticky vegan chicken — and here's exactly how our little bub helped make it happen.

Why this recipe works for toddlers

  • Cold-pan, stove-off kid steps. Your toddler handles slicing the vegan "chicken" into a cold pan while the stove is off — no hot surfaces near small hands.
  • Real jobs, not busywork. Measuring, pouring, mixing, stirring — every kid step is a genuine contribution to the finished meal, which is the heart of the Montessori practical life approach.
  • Fast enough for a weeknight. 30 minutes total, even with a small methodical sous-chef.
  • Hides vegetables without fighting about them. The nasi mix and leek disappear into a sticky, savoury sauce that reads as "yum" to picky eaters.
  • Builds vocabulary while you cook. Cooking with toddlers is one of the most underrated ways to link words to real experiences — perfect for multilingual families.
Veggie-loaded fried rice cooking process
Tips
Things kids can do
List of ingredients
Step 1 Prep sauce and spices
Step 2 Slicing
Step 3 Veggies
Step 4 The rice
Step 5 Mix
Step 6 - the vegan chicken
Plate and serve

Recipe at a glance

  • Prep: ~15 minutes (longer if your sous-chef is small and methodical — and that's the whole point)
  • Cook: ~15 minutes
  • Total: 30 minutes
  • Serves: 4
  • Diet: Vegan. Not gluten-free as written, but it can be made GF by carefully selecting GF versions of the vegetarian chicken and the spice mix — those are the two usual gluten trip-wires here.

Ingredients

  • 320 g vegetarian chicken fillet, sliced into 2–4 cm strips
  • 200 g leek, sliced
  • 450 g bami & nasi vegetable mix (carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts, onions)
  • 500 g ready-made basmati rice
  • 3 tbsp teriyaki sauce
  • 3 tbsp passata or tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 tbsp sunflower oil
  • ≈16 g cumin
  • 30 g galangal
  • 30 g turmeric
  • 30 g grated ginger
  • Black pepper and salt to taste

Instructions

Step 1 — Prep the sauce and spice mix

  • Adult (prep): Measure ingredients into separate cups/bowls.
  • Spice mix: ≈16 g cumin, 30 g each of galangal, turmeric and grated ginger.
  • Sauce: 3 tbsp teriyaki, 3 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp rice vinegar.
  • Older kiddo: Measure ingredients with spoons or scale (support as needed) and stir.
  • Younger kiddo: Pour the pre-measured spices into two bowls — one for the spice mix, one for the sauce. Mix, mix, mix!
  • Kiddo (supervised): Slice the vegetarian chicken fillet into strips and place into a cold pan. (When kids are operating, the pans are cold and the stove is OFF.)
  • Adult: Mince 3 garlic cloves. If needed, remove the pepper from the nasi vegetables and thinly slice them. Set aside.

Step 2 — Slicing (notes to adults)

Aim for 2–4 cm wide "chicken" strips, but embrace the wonkiness. Only intervene if pieces are huge — they need to cook evenly. You'll have time to finish the veggies and rice steps while your child focuses on their cutting task.

Step 3 — The veggies (adult)

  • Heat a large wok on high heat with 2 tbsp sunflower oil.
  • Add 200 g sliced leek and the nasi vegetables. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes until al dente.
  • Remove from the wok and set aside.

Step 4 — The rice (adult)

  • Add 1 tbsp sunflower oil and the garlic to the warm wok.
  • Fry for 10 seconds on high heat.
  • Add 500 g ready-made basmati rice.
  • Stir-fry for 2 minutes while breaking up the rice with a spatula.
  • Add 4 tbsp of the spice mix.
  • Stir-fry for 1 more minute.

Step 5 — Mix (adult)

  • Add the reserved vegetables and stir-fry for 2 minutes until everything is warm.
  • Turn off the heat and keep the nasi warm with the lid on the pan.

Step 6 — The "chicken" (mixed — adult + kid)

  • Adult: Heat 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the veggie chicken and stir-fry for ≈8 minutes until cooked and golden brown.
  • Adult: Remove pan from heat and let cool until you can comfortably touch the side. (Safety first!)
  • Kiddo: Pour the sauce over the cooked veggie chicken and gently stir to coat.
  • Adult: Return pan to stove and let the sauce reduce for 30 seconds while stirring.

Plate and serve, together.

These little moments remind us what truly matters - connection, laughter, and the simple joy of being together. ✨