Level 3 · Liquidised: smooth, pourable, no bits. It can be sipped from a cup or taken by spoon, and needs no chewing. What do the levels mean?
Serves: 2 · Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients: Toasted black sesame paste (smooth, no seeds), whole or soy milk, a little honey (optional), a little cornstarch.
Steps
Whisk 2 tbsp black sesame paste with 1 1/2 cups milk in a small pot.
Mix 2 tsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold milk and stir it in.
Heat gently, stirring, until lightly thickened. Add honey only if needed, 1 tsp at most.
Strain, cool to warm, and check it drips slowly from a fork.
Check the texture: it drips slowly in dollops through the prongs of a fork, and there are no lumps, skins or fibers. If it runs through quickly, thicken it a little (a food thickener works well).
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.