This post is brought to you by Etsuko, a staff member at Sloth Cafe.
The other day, we had a special visit from a group of children as part of an off-campus learning program organized by a special needs school. We were delighted to serve them lunch! ♡ (Excited!)
For the children with dysphagia, we prepared dysphagia-friendly meals. I’d like to share a simple recipe for secondary processing of dysphagia food. 🌈
For those with dysphagia, dining out—especially in group settings—often means curry 🍛🥄 is the go-to option. While curry is great, many children want something different. This time, we decided on a pasta lunch set! 🍝
(“This is so typical of texture-modified meals, isn’t it?”)
That said, since we’re primarily a curry restaurant, our manager couldn’t hide their slightly wistful expression. ( •︠ˍ•︡ )
(We hope you’ll come back for our curry too!♡)
Still, we wanted everyone to enjoy the same meal together, so pasta was our final choice!
Dysphagia-Friendly Menu 💖
- Homemade Meat Sauce Pasta by our Manager
- Edamame Potage
- Fluffy Milky Pudding
1. Meat Sauce 🍝
For the noodles:
- Cut the cooked pasta into smaller pieces and blend it in a mixer or blender. Add a small amount of cooking water and Miyagen’s enzyme powder to help the process.
- Blend until completely smooth (make sure there are no lumps). Sprinkle Miyagen Mixer Gel to adjust the thickness to your liking.
- Since this was a pasta dish, we used a piping bag with a nozzle to give it a noodle-like appearance.
For the sauce:
Blend the sauce in a mixer, adding a small amount of Miyagen’s enzyme powder to achieve a smooth consistency. Then use a thickener (we used Asahi Toromi Ace) to finish it off!
Edamame Potage 🥣
We used Recolte’s automatic cooking appliance for this dish, so the final product was already lump-free. We adjusted the thickness with Asahi Toromi Ace for a perfect texture.
By the way, the Recolte automatic cooker our manager uses is amazing! I’m planning to grab one on Amazon myself! 😂
Fluffy Milky Pudding 🍮
No thickeners were used here! We whipped cream and mixed it with gelatin to create the pudding.
The whipped cream gives it a soft, airy texture while avoiding the overly jiggly consistency that can sometimes make it hard to eat. Sweetened with condensed milk.
Summary
This time, we used both Mixer Gel and thickeners appropriately to create our dishes.
- For noodles or rice 🌾, which already have a slightly slippery texture, I like to use Miyagen Mixer Gel to match the original feel.
- For the sauce, we wanted a slightly thicker consistency, so we used Asahi Toromi Ace.
Although these are texture-modified meals, we aim to make them as close as possible to regular meals in appearance and taste. It’s all about making them delicious and enjoyable for everyone!
Sloth Cafe ☕ is committed to barrier-free dining experiences!
(Currently, texture-modified meals are available by reservation only for group bookings. Mixer rentals are free!)
P.S. The teachers enjoyed our curry 🍛🥄 and gave it rave reviews! 😋
This event came together through advanced reservations and careful consultations.
Additional Notes☆彡
Miyagen’s enzyme powder is a game-changer! It breaks down starch, making rice or noodles incredibly smooth. You can then use your favorite thickeners or gel agents to adjust the texture to your liking.
Before, it only came in tablet form, requiring a lot of liquid, but now the powder form makes preparation much easier while retaining nutritional value.
When I first heard about this product, I thought, “Miyagen is a genius!” By the way, I’m not a spokesperson—just a fan!
Written by: Etsuko
Etsuko is a pastry chef at Sloth Cafe and a mother of a child with dysphagia. Most of the desserts at Sloth Cafe are her creations. We also offer ‘Chocolate Mousse’ that can be enjoyed without chewing, so please visit Sloth Cafe and give it a try!