Welcome to Kitchen Queries, where the nigella.com team will answer your cooking or food related questions.  We’d love you to submit some of your recipe problems, dilemmas or queries for us to get our teeth into!

Please note, we are only able to answer questions selected for publication and aren't able to enter into personal correspondence.

• Soft Foods

  I have been advised to have a soft food diet due to severe wisdom teeth pain. Any food ideas that aren't soup and porridge?

  Posted by greedy1. Answered on 22nd May 2012 at 12.00

  From the nigella team:

  Soft foods are often also comfort foods and a bowlful of polenta would fit the bill. Polenta is quite bland on its own but can be flavoured with strong mature cheeses such as grated Parmesan or even blue cheeses such as gorgonzola, if you prefer something more piquant. Risottos are another option though you may want to cook the rice for slightly longer than recommended (and possibly may need a little more liquid) to make sure that the rice is very soft. Nigella's Cheddar Cheese Risotto from NIgella Express and Lemon Risotto from Nigella Bites would both be good options as they don't contain any pieces of vegetables or meat which could stay hard. The links to these recipes on Nigella's website are below.

  Mashed potatoes are also comforting and soft and a fish pie may be an option to consider as the fish in a pie is usually cooked until flaky and can be mashed in with the potato when you eat. Nigella's Nursery Fish Pie is a good option, though you may prefer to omit the peas. A link to the recipe is below.

  Some dips could also be spread onto very soft bread and you may like to try Nigella's Peanut Butter Hummus from Kitchen or Roquamole from Nigella Express (links below). For the Roquamole you may prefer to make it in a food processor to ensure a smoother texture.

  http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/cheddar-cheese-risotto-68

  http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/lemon-risotto-185

  http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/nursery-fish-pie-128

  http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/peanut-butter-hummus

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