Chestnut and Sweet Potato Soup | IDDSI Level 5–6 Autumn Recipe

IDDSI Level 5–6 (Soft and Bite-Sized / Minced and Moist) | 15 minutes prep, 60 minutes cooking | Easy

Chestnut and sweet potato soup (板栗番薯湯, baan lut faan syu tong) is a classic Cantonese autumn and winter nourishing soup — golden, naturally sweet broth made from chestnuts and sweet potato simmered low and slow. Traditional recipes leave the chestnuts with some resistance; this adaptation halves the chestnuts and extends the simmering time until both chestnuts and sweet potato reach a texture that can be crushed with the back of a fork, meeting IDDSI Level 5–6 requirements for people with mild to moderate dysphagia.

Ingredients (3–4 servings)

• 250g fresh or pre-peeled chestnuts (halved)
• 300g sweet potato (peeled, cut into 2cm chunks)
• 200g pork shin/tendon (optional; blanched, sliced thin)
• 1500ml water
• 2 slices fresh ginger
• 2 dried honey dates / mi zao (optional)
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Halve the chestnuts; peel and cut the sweet potato into 2cm chunks; blanch pork shin if using
2. Bring water to the boil with ginger slices and honey dates
3. Add chestnuts and pork shin; reduce to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes
4. Add sweet potato; continue simmering 25–30 minutes until both chestnuts and sweet potato are fully softened
5. Test chestnut with fork: gentle back-of-fork pressure should crush it cleanly, with crushed pieces under 15mm — IDDSI Level 5
6. Sweet potato should yield easily to tongue-and-palate pressure without chewing — IDDSI Level 6
7. Season with salt; serve immediately

Texture Test

IDDSI Level 5 confirmation (chestnut): Place half a chestnut on a flat surface. Apply approximately 140g pressure with the back of a fork — it should crush without requiring wrist strength. No hard centre should remain. If resistance is present, continue simmering 10 minutes and re-test.

IDDSI Level 6 confirmation (sweet potato): A chunk of sweet potato should be crushable using only tongue and palate pressure, with no need to chew, and should not stick to the palate.

Safety Notes

⚠️ Chestnut size — Halved chestnuts should be under 15mm in their longest dimension. If using large chestnuts, quarter them to reduce choking risk.

⚠️ Sweet potato stickiness — Sweet potato is high in starch and can form a cohesive bolus that is difficult to manage. Serve in small portions; offer thickened fluid between mouthfuls to clear the palate.

⚠️ Pork shin texture — If using pork shin, each slice must pass the fork-pressure test individually. Under-simmered pork fibres are too long and stringy for IDDSI Level 5 compliance.

Sourcing in Hong Kong

• Fresh chestnuts: Available at wet markets and supermarkets from September to November; choose large, heavy specimens with intact shells indicating good moisture content; pre-peeled vacuum-packed chestnuts at supermarkets save preparation time
• Sweet potato: Wet market vegetable stalls; yellow-flesh sweet potato (黃番薯) produces a denser, smoother texture when cooked — best for this recipe; orange-flesh varieties are also suitable with a slightly softer result

Nutrition

Approximately 220 kcal per serving (40g carbohydrate, 8g protein with pork shin). Chestnuts are rich in vitamin C, B vitamins and potassium — one of the lowest-fat nuts, with highly digestible starch that provides sustained energy. Sweet potato is an excellent source of beta-carotene, vitamin A and dietary fibre, supporting gut health and immunity — particularly valuable in the elderly population.

Cultural Note

Chestnut and sweet potato soup is part of the Cantonese autumn wellness tradition (秋補, chau bou), where chestnuts are regarded in traditional Chinese wellness practice as supporting digestive and kidney function, and sweet potato as promoting intestinal health. Together, they form a classic pairing for the autumn and winter months. This IDDSI-adapted version allows elderly residents with dysphagia to continue enjoying seasonal soups alongside their families — maintaining the social and cultural dimension of shared mealtimes.