I will always remember visiting the Philippines and hearing “Tahoooo! Tahoooo!” from the taho man selling them on the streets. His big tubs of tofu, arnibal, and sago pearls balancing between his shoulders were always welcomed by my mom with pesos in her hand ready to collect her snack mid-shopping spree.
Background
It’s been said that taho was influenced by Chinese migrants in pre-colonial Philippines and originated in the form of douhua–a similar snack of soybean pudding and syrup. In Vietnam, they also have a similar version that uses silken tofu and a syrup with a ginger base called dau hũ nước đường. These days there are many versions of taho that include flavors like ube, pandan, or strawberry syrup. What’s great about making your own taho at home is that you can adjust the sweetness level of the arnibal sauce and the ratio of silken tofu and pearls added–it’s completely customizable! With this recipe, you’ll also learn how to make your own homemade soy milk and silken tofu that makes a super fresh taho snack.
Homemade soy milk and silken tofu
Why homemade soy milk and silken tofu? Well honestly, why not! Thanks to this soy milk and silken tofu recipe from Serious Eats, I was able to learn and adjust the recipe as I went along. Making soy milk and silken tofu only takes three ingredients: soybeans (I like using organic soybeans), water, and epsom salt. The only thing you need to remember is to soak the soybeans overnight before starting this recipe. Like any recipe, you also have the option of buying premade silken tofu at your local Asian grocery store to save time too! I am lucky enough to have local stores that sell fresh silken tofu in little Saigon, but you can also find them at stores like HMart or even Albertsons.
Arnibal and pearls
Arnibal in Tagalog means sweet syrup and this is what is layered in between tofu and pearls. It’s a light syrup that you can adjust based on your preference. For this recipe, I liked to cook it down slightly to get a concentrated flavor. Sago pearls are traditionally used in taho. Sago is different from white tapioca pearls because it’s made using starch that is extracted from the pith of a sago palm whereas white tapioca pearls are made from cassava starch. You can use either sago or tapioca pearls in this recipe. An interesting thing I’ve seen at US grocery stores is that labels for sago and white tapioca pearls are interchangeable. Typically I look at the ingredient list and many of these bags list cassava starch, which means they’re really tapioca pearls. I would also note that sometimes people use boba pearls, which are made to be chewier for boba milk teas, but I prefer using traditional white tapioca or sago pearls. White tapioca and sago pearls have a texture that is less chewy and more similar to sago pearls. For this recipe, I am using my 30 and 30 method for cooking white tapioca pearls. Like most tapioca pearls (that are not meant for boba milk tea), I had to repeat the 30 and 30 method twice to fully cook the pearls and turn them translucent. I kept the cooked pearls in water while I waited to assemble the taho.
Cooking tips
What is taho in Chinese?
The Chinese version of taho (also known to be it’s original form) is called douhua, which has soy bean pudding or silken tofu and a sugar syrup.
How much is taho in the Philippines?
Taho is a very inexpensive snack in the Philippines and is often sold on the street by a taho vendor known for yelling “taho!” in the streets. You can find it for well under 50 pesos.
Is taho a soya?
One of the main ingredients of taho is silken tofu, which is made from soybeans.
Can you reheat taho?
It’s best to keep the silken tofu and the arnibal and sago/tapioca pearls separated if you cannot finish it. You can reheat the tofu over a steamer and it won’t disintegrate in the microwave.
