Taho (Filipino Tofu Dessert)

Taho is a delicious sweet treat from the Philippines made with silken tofu and chewy tapioca pearls mixed with a rich brown sugar syrup.

Taho is a Filipino snack or dessert made with tofu, brown sugar syrup (also known as arnibal), and tapioca pearls. In the Philippines, you’ll commonly see a man walking down the streets yelling “tahooo!” where he carries on his shoulders buckets of warm tofu and syrup.

Because the people selling taho would usually come early mornings or mid-day, Filipinos began to equate taho as an early breakfast or quick afternoon meal. I was around two years old when I had my first taho experience. My cousins rushed outside with me trailing behind them, and with their pockets full of cash, they purchased cups of taho enough to satisfy our whole family.

Now that I live in the West, that memory has become extremely nostalgic! Every time I make myself a cup of taho, I’m instantly transported back to my home in the Philippines as a toddler waiting for the taho man to show up outside my window.

Background of Taho

Taho was said to have been influenced by Chinese settlers and immigrants in the Philippines during its pre-colonial period.

Rather than the taho as we know today, it was brought to the Filipinos instead in the form of douhua, a Chinese sweet tofu dessert.

Nowadays there are a couple variations of taho, usually with the syrup to alter its flavor profile a little bit. There’s strawberry taho, ube, buko pandan, and my recent creation (has anyone done this yet?) Thai Tea Taho:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ian (@iankewks)

Ingredients

Soft/Silken Tofu: To make any taho, you’ll need tofu that’s smooth and silky so that it can be sliced and scooped into cups or bowls. I know a couple recipes online will have you make the actual silken tofu itself, though for conveniency, any store bought soft or silken tofu should do.

Arnibal: This is the brown sugar syrup that we’ll be mixing the tofu slices with. It’s a simple combination of brown sugar and water that’s boiled down into a thick syrup.

Mini sago or white tapioca pearls: These tiny pearls add a little chew and textural element to the taho. I’d highly recommend going for these over the more popular boba pearls since those tend to be chewier and more larger overall.

Instructions

Prepare the mini sago pearls:

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add in the sago pearls and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from sticking.

After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and put on a lid. Continue to cook the pearls, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the pearls are translucent.

Drain the boiling liquid. Rinse the pearls under cold water to stop the cooking process and to retain their chew. Set aside.

Prepare the arnibal:

In a pot, combine together the brown sugar and water. Bring this mixture to a boil, and continue boiling until the mixture has slightly thickened, stirring frequently, for about 5-7 minutes.

Transfer the syrup to a separate container. Let cool slightly.

Prepare the tofu:

Steam your tofu for about 10 minutes, or until fully warmed through. Alternatively, you may also microwave the tofu for 2-3 minutes, depending on the power of your microwave.

Assemble the taho:

In a cup or bowl, layer together the steamed tofu, tapioca pearls, and arnibal.

Serve while warm. Enjoy!

Looking for more sweet dessert ideas? Here’s a couple that you might love:

• Leche Flan
• Mango Float
• Mango Sago
• Turon (Filipino Banana Springrolls)