Tau Foo Fah, also known as Douhua (豆花) in mandarin, is a Chinese sweet or savoury dessert made with silken smooth tofu. This classic dessert can be served with a clear sweet ginger sugar syrup or palm sugar syrup (Gula Melaka Syrup), whichever option you prefer. Tastes great served warm or chilled. Super easy to make this at home too. So, let's start cooking!
First soak the soybeans in water for at least 3 hours. Then drain away the water and set aside.
In two batches, put the soaked soybeans into a blender or grinder. Add half the water and blend the soybean with the water until almost smooth.
Pour the blended soy bean liquid into a cloth coffee filter to sieve out the soybean residue. Squeeze the coffee filter to release more of the soy milk from the residue.
Continue to do the same with the balance of the soaked soybeans. Put the soybeans in blender and blend with the balance of the water. Filter and strain out the soybean residue. Squeeze to release more of the soy milk.
Then double strain the soy milk into a large pot. Add in the pandan leaves. Using medium heat, bring the soy milk to a boil, stirring constantly. When the soy milk boils, lower the heat and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes. Then remove pandan leaves and the soy milk is done.
Preparing Setting Agent:
While the soybean milk is being boiled, we can prepare the setting agent which is used to turn the boiling soybean milk into soybean curd. Have ready the boiled water and add in GDL. Stir to mix well.
Then add in cornstarch and flavour with vanilla essence. Stir thoroughly to mix everything together. And we are ready to make taufoo fah.
Making Tau Foo Fah:
To make soybean curd (tau foo fah), have ready a heat resistant pot with a lid.
Then pour simultaneously the setting agent and the boiling soymilk from a height into the pot. (Hold the pot of soymilk higher than the cup of setting agent when pouring). Immediately cover the pot with a lid and do not stir the mixture. Leave aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
After about 20 minutes, the soymilk will have coagulated and settle to be smooth and yummy taufoo. The surface will have lots of bubbles so use a sharp flat ladle to remove the surface bubbles. Then only scoop up the tau foo fah.
To serve, use the sharp and flat ladle to gently scoop thin slices of soft and velvety beancurd into bowls. Then top with ginger sugar syrup or palm sugar syrup before serving.
This delicious silken Tau Foo Fah is usually enjoyed warm and can be quite delicious when served chilled.
Be very careful when boiling soy milk to make Tau Foo Fah. When lots of bubbles form, must quickly off the heat. Otherwise it will easily overflow. May not want to cover the pot when boiling soy milk.
The soy milk you use must be pure. If there are any impurities, the soy milk may not completely solidify. Try to use homemade soy milk so it is not too dilute as soy milk to make Tau Foo Fah need to have a thicker consistency.
Do not add too much setting agent (coagulant) as it can render the Tau Foo Fah to be sour or bitter. Also make sure the setting agent fully dissolved in the water. Otherwise the soymilk will not coagulate fully.
Be sure not to stir or move the soymilk in the pot after mixing with the setting agent but to immediately cover to prevent heat from escaping.
Pouring boiling soy milk and setting agent mixture must be from a height. This will ensure the mixture is mixed thoroughly in the pot.