Dysphagia is the medical term for swallowing difficulties. Some people with dysphagia have problems swallowing certain foods or liquids, while others can’t swallow at all.
Sometimes, to achieve a safer transition of food from the mouth to the esophagus, we have to change the consistency of the foods and liquids.
The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) framework consists of a continuum of 8 levels (0 – 7), where drinks are measured from Levels 0 – 4, while foods are measured from Levels 3 – 7. The IDDSI Framework provides a common terminology to describe food textures and drink thickness.
IDDS: https://www.iddsi.org/framework
This recipe is made in a level 4 puree consistency.
Ingredients
- 1kg lentils (any type)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 medium pumpkin cut into pieces
- 4 carrots chopped.
- Salt, paprika (to taste)
- 3 bay leaves (optional)
- Olive oil
- Water ~1,5 lt (depending on the thickness you want to achieve)
In a cooking pot, we add olive oil (enough to cover the bottom), and the garlic, in high heat. After 5 minutes we add the lentils that we have already soaked in cold water for 10 minutes. Mix well and leave for about 3 minutes.
Add salt and paprika to taste, and 3 bay leaves (optional) and mix well.
Lower the heat to medium and add the water, the pumpkin, and the carrots. Mix them well, cover, and let them cook until very soft.
The time depends on the type of lentils but it takes around 45’.
While cooking you can add more water depending on how thick or thin you want it to be. For a level 4 puree according to the IDDS, we used around 1lt at the beginning and 0,5 while cooking.
When the food is ready and the vegetables are soft and mashable, we put them in a blender and blend until we achieve a smooth consistency without any lumps.
Serve and enjoy!
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