Care Food Recipes: Cantonese Congee for Dysphagia

Congee — The Cantonese Comfort Food Best Suited to Dysphagia

Congee holds a special place in Cantonese food culture. The good news: its natural texture is already close to IDDSI standards, and with the right techniques it adapts perfectly to dysphagia diets.

Base Smooth Congee (IDDSI Level 4): 1 cup of white rice (about 150 g) and 12 cups of water. Wash the rice, mix with a little oil and salt, and let it stand for 15 minutes. Bring the water to the boil in a large pot, add the rice, return to the boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes. Once cooked, blend until completely smooth and pass through a fine sieve.

Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee (IDDSI Level 4): 600 ml of base congee with 100 g of lean pork and 1 century egg. Cook the pork with ginger slices and blend until completely smooth.

Fish Slice Congee (IDDSI Level 4): Use grass carp fillet, deboned and skinless. Steam, carefully remove all bones, then blend until completely smooth. Sieve twice to ensure safety.

Pumpkin Purée Congee (IDDSI Level 4): Peel and deseed the pumpkin, steam, then blend into a smooth purée. Stir into the base congee with evaporated milk. Rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C.

Using SeniorDeli Frozen Soft Meal Powder, you can batch-prepare congee, freeze it, and store for up to a month.

Want to apply these insights in your care home? Try our free [EAT-10 screening tool](/assessment) or [download the SeniorDeli app](/app) — free for care teams and speech therapists.