Cottage Cheese and Fruit Mash | IDDSI Level 5 Recipe

IDDSI Level 5 (Minced and Moist) | 10 minutes | Easy

Cottage cheese is high in protein (approximately 11g per 100g), low in fat, and a good source of calcium — making it a popular high-protein snack in Western care homes. Paired with ripe fruit puree (banana, mango), natural sweetness is added while vitamin C helps enhance calcium absorption. No cooking required. Ideal as an afternoon snack to supplement elderly patients’ daily protein and calcium intake.

Ingredients (serves 1)

Main ingredients:

• Cottage cheese 100g
• Ripe banana ½ (approx 60g) or ripe mango flesh 60g

Seasoning (optional):

• Honey ½ tsp (do not use for patients under 1 year)
• Ground cinnamon, a pinch

Method

1. Peel banana and mash thoroughly with a fork until smooth with no obvious lumps; or similarly mash mango flesh.
2. Place cottage cheese in a bowl; press curds with a fork to break them down to under 4mm (Level 5 particle size requirement).
3. Combine fruit mash and cottage cheese; stir until uniform in texture.
4. Add honey for sweetness and cinnamon for aroma if desired.
5. Confirm texture is moist, cohesive, and fine-grained. Serve.

Texture Testing

Fork-pressure test: Passes Level 5 — cottage cheese curds crush easily under light fork pressure; combined with fruit puree, the mixture is moist and cohesive with no particles exceeding 4mm.

Cohesion check: Holds shape when lifted by spoon; does not drip or fall apart.

Moisture check: No dry sensation; consistently soft and moist throughout.

Safety Notes

⚠️ Curd particle size — Commercial cottage cheese curds may be larger than 4mm and are not directly Level 5-compliant. Always press curds with a fork (or briefly pulse with a stick blender, avoiding over-processing to liquid) before serving.

⚠️ Fruit selection — Use only fully ripe, smooth-textured fruits (banana, mango, papaya). Avoid fruits with fibrous strands (pineapple) or firm texture (apple, pear).

⚠️ Temperature — Remove from refrigerator a few minutes before serving; very cold food may cause discomfort for elderly patients.

⚠️ Lactose intolerance — Some elderly patients are lactose intolerant. Choose lactose-free cottage cheese, or substitute with soft silken tofu.

Sourcing Outside Hong Kong

For international care kitchens and home cooks outside Hong Kong, Cantonese ingredients are widely available at East and Southeast Asian grocery stores:

• United Kingdom: Wing Yip (Birmingham, London, Manchester), See Woo (London), Loon Fung (London)
• United States: 99 Ranch Market (West Coast), H Mart (East Coast), local Chinatown grocers
• Canada: T&T Supermarket (national chain), local Asian markets
• Australia: Burlington Supermarket, Tang’s, local Chinese grocers in Chinatown precincts
• Singapore & Malaysia: Sheng Siong, NTUC FairPrice (Singapore); Tesco, Mydin (Malaysia)
• Online: Sous Chef (UK/EU), Amazon.com (US), Yami.com (US)

Cottage cheese: mainstream supermarkets (Suki, President, Arla brands widely available).

If a specific ingredient is unavailable in your region, the recipe notes alternative substitutions in the Ingredients section. For dishes requiring fresh Cantonese-specific ingredients (e.g. preserved century egg, fresh rice noodle rolls), check with your local East Asian grocer before substituting — texture compliance for IDDSI levels may require specific products.

Nutrition Notes

Per serving (approx 160g): ~160 kcal, protein 12g, calcium 130mg, vitamin C (from fruit) ~10mg. Cottage cheese contains casein, a slow-digesting protein that supports prolonged muscle protein synthesis — making it particularly effective as an between-meal snack to supplement total daily protein intake for sarcopenic elderly patients.