Posted on by in Recipe
Perfect Pumpkin

Perfect Pumpkin

Servings

2

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
IDDSI Level

6, 5, 4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked pumpkin diced to 1.5cm x 1.5cm

  • Salt to taste

  • 1 teaspoons butter, margarine or olive oil

Directions

  • IDDSI Level 6 Soft & Bite-Sized
  • Peel and cut pumpkin into 1.5×1.5cm pieces. Put the pumpkin into a saucepan and seasoning. Cover with cold water and cook on medium heat and cook until soft. Be careful not to overcook the pumpkin. Drain excess water off the pumpkin.
  • Testing IDDSI Level 6: Test that the pumpkin easily breaks apart with a fork and passes the fork pressure test, by pressing it with a fork and ensuring it stays squashed once removing the fork.
  • Serving: Add butter, margarine or olive oil to the pumpkin. Place neatly on the dinner plate.
  • IDDSI Level 5 Minced & Moist
  • Peel and cut pumpkin into 1.5×1.5cm pieces. Put the pumpkin into a saucepan and seasoning. Cover with cold water and cook on medium heat and cook until soft. Be careful not to overcook the pumpkin. Drain pumpkin using a sieve. Place pumpkin back into the saucepan, add butter/margarine or olive oil, mash with a potato masher till combined.
  • Testing IDDSI Level 5: Check the pumpkin using the spoon tilt method: the food should hold its shape on the spoon, then fall off the spoon easily when tilted. Adjust as required. The pieces should be no larger than 4mm and should pass through the tines of a fork.
  • Serving: Place pumpkin in a piping bag and pipe onto the plate, or use the side of a dessert spoon to spoon onto the plate.
  • IDDSI Level 4 Pureed
  • Peel and cut pumpkin into 1.5×1.5cm pieces. Put the pumpkin into a saucepan and seasoning. Cover with cold water and cook on medium heat and cook until soft. Be careful not to overcook the pumpkin. Drain pumpkin using a sieve. Place pumpkin back into the saucepan, add butter/margarine or olive oil, mash with a potato masher till combined.
  • Testing IDDSI Level 4: Check the pumpkin using the spoon tilt method: the food should hold its shape on the spoon, then fall off the spoon easily when tilted. Then do the fork drip test, by picking up some puree with a fork and ensuring no liquid drips through the tines of the fork. Adjust as required.
  • Serving: Place pumpkin in a piping bag and pipe onto the plate, or use the side of a dessert spoon to spoon onto the plate.

Test the texture: Is it IDDSI Level 6 Soft & Bite-Sized?

  • Soft, tender and moist, but with no thin liquid leaking or dripping for the food
  • Ability to ‘bite off’ a piece of food is not required
  • Ability to chew ‘bite-sized’ pieces so that they are safe to swallow is required
  • ‘Bite size’ pieces no bigger than 1.5cm x 1.5cm in size
  • Food can be mashed or broken down with the pressure from a fork
  • A knife is not required to cut this food

Test the texture: Is it IDDSI Level 5 Minced & Moist?

  • Soft and moist, but with no liquid leaking or dripping from the food
  • Biting is not required
  • Minimal chewing required
  • Lumps of 4mm in size (fit through prongs of a fork)
  • Lumps can be mashed with the tongue
  • Food can be easily mashed with just a little pressure from a fork
  • Should be able to scoop food onto a fork, with no liquid dripping and no crumbles falling off the fork

Test the texture: Is it IDDSI Level 4 Pureed?

  • Are usually eaten with a spoon
  • Does not require chewing
  • Have a smooth texture with no lumps
  • Puree holds shape on a spoon
  • Falls off the spoon when tilted (not sticky)
  • Gravies and sauces must not separate from the puree