Level 7 · Easy to Chew: everyday food that is soft and tender, in any size. It is for people who can chew and swallow safely but find hard or tough food tiring. If choking is a concern, ask your speech-language pathologist before using this level. What do the levels mean?
Serves: 3 · Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients: Kabocha, boneless skinless chicken thigh, dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sugar.
Steps
Peel kabocha completely (the skin stays tough) and cut into chunks.
Simmer with 8 oz chicken pieces in 1 1/2 cups dashi, 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin and 1 tsp sugar.
Cover and cook 20 minutes, until the kabocha is soft enough to cut with a spoon.
Shortcut: Instant dashi granules are fine.
Check the texture: a piece squashes under the side of a fork and does not spring back. Leave out anything hard, crunchy, chewy, stringy or with skins, seeds or bones.
Use the food level recommended by your speech-language pathologist or doctor. Textures change with cooking time, cooling and reheating, so check the food each time before serving, using the simple fork and spoon tests in our swallowing guide. Sit upright to eat, take small bites, and stay upright for 30 minutes after.