Friday, February 20, 2009

My Taho Quick-Fix




Just like when I made my puto, I don't always try to make things from scratch. If there's a way to easily make them without making a two-hour trip to an Asian store, or without making a trip all the way back to the Philippines, I will try to find that way.

Well, this quick-fix taho was actually an idea from my good friend Ana.


My only problem is that I have not really learned how to cook sago the right way, without a hard uncooked middle, even for the larger ones. Can anyone teach me how???


I cooked the sago first (still unsuccessful to come up with fully cooked sago). Then I spooned out some tofu, placed in a small ramekin, added maple syrup and sago, then microwaved in increments of 30 seconds until I was satisfied with the hotness. Expect to see more water as you heat up. I just scooped out as much of this excess water as I could, just like the magtataho used to do when serving me taho (I was a loyal customer from childhood to adulthood).

UPDATE 2/22/09
I would like to post here what Ria (of Sweden) does for her taho fix. Maybe others can do the same:
hi manang! this ria, your reader from sweden. dito walang silken tofu, plus hubby and the children love it kaya ang ginagawa ko to have our taho fix is buy soya milk (no calcium) and add a little tofu coagulator (food grade gypsum) that i bought from an online wholistic store and some cassava starch. i love using dark muscovado for my arnibal and small tapioca pearls. for the small tapioca pearls, i cook them first and after the water boils, i let them sit for about 10 minutes with pot cover on (hindi sa stove top). after they sit i boil them again and let them sit again for 10 minutes....voila, they're done after that.
Thanks for the info, Ria!



UPDATE 8/02/09:
For those who might be interested in the procedure, I have these recipes below which I saved a long time ago from the DOST tecknotulong website (which now seems gone). I myself have never tried to make them, but I am posting here for the benefit of those who ask. Please do not ask me any further questions regarding these recipes because I would not know anything beyond posting them here.:

TAHO FROM SOYBEAN

Materials:
3 cups mature and newly harvested soybeans
2 bars white gulaman
3 cups brown sugar
strainer (muslin or nylon cloth)

Procedure:

1. Soak soybeans overnight in water 3 times its volume.

2. Remove outer covering, grind; add water little by little (at least 6 cups) while grinding.

3. Dissolve 2 bars gulaman in boiling water (7 cups).

4. Pour the ground soybean in boiling gulaman for 7 minutes or until the odor of grains is removed.

5. Set aside until it coagulates.

6. Serve with syrup.

Syrup is prepared as follows:

3 cups sugar is dissolved in 3 cups water. The sugar may be caramelized to improve color and flavor.

Source: The Philippine Recommends for Soybean PCARRD 1991


TAHO FROM COCONUT MILK

Instead of soybeans, coconut milk may be used with gulaman in making taho.

Procedure:

1. Mix pure coconut milk with equal volume of water and heat.

2. In a container, dissolve 1/4 gulaman bar in water, boil.

3. Strain the dissolved gulaman and coconut milk. Heat and stir continuously for at least 20 minutes.

4. Pour into molds and allow to cool and harden.

To make syrup:

Dissolve 2 cups brown sugar in one cup water. Heat until thick.

13 comments:

Tangled Noodle said...

You've read my mind once again! My husband loves taho/soft tofu but we can't find a decent version at any of the Chinese and dim sum restaurants in the area. He's going to love this!!

cel said...

great idea! lassang taho talaga?

Art of Dessert said...

Hi Manang! I just watched Anthony Bourdain No Reservations: Philippines this week and it sure made me miss all the great food back in PI. Taho definitely brings back happy childhood memories. I've made taho using silken tofu and it's spot on.
I boiled some brown sugar and water to make arnibal(syrup). As for the sago, I was taught to soak the tapioca pearls overnight before cooking them. But I read somewhere online that you can also just cook them first, turn off the heat then let them sit until they cook all the way through.

Joseph said...

Oh wow! Would any kind of silk tofu do?

Manang said...

cel,
lasang taho naman. Mas matubig nga lang to. Maybe you can heat up separately ung taho and yung syrup.

Manang said...

AOD,
Thanks for the tips on proper cooking of sago and your method for arnibal!

Joseph,
I think so, although this is the only brand I have tried.

Anonymous said...

hi manang! this ria, your reader from sweden. dito walang silken tofu, plus hubby and the children love it kaya ang ginagawa ko to have our taho fix is buy soya milk (no calcium) and add a little tofu coagulator (food grade gypsum) that i bought from an online wholistic store and some cassava starch. i love using dark muscovado for my arnibal and small tapioca pearls. for the small tapioca pearls, i cook them first and after the water boils, i let them sit for about 10 minutes with pot cover on (hindi sa stove top). after they sit i boil them again and let them sit again for 10 minutes....voila, they're done after that.

eden said...

i wanna try this recipe. i love taho and i have a craving for it..:)

Anonymous said...

Hi Manang,

Can we ask Ria of Sweden about measurements of the ingredients (soymilk, coagulator & cassava starch)?
I am just too eager to try this recipe. Tagal ko na hinahanap (nung 4 weeks pa lang si baby si tummy, 4 months na siya ngayon sa loob, abot pa sa paglilihi)
Thanks a lot!
Ryanne
(ryannemf@yahoo.com)

Anonymous said...

Thank you very much! I'll definitely try this one out. Sana available ang mga ingredients dito sa NZ.
Yesterday, as I was really craving for taho, I went to an Asian store and tried out what they call soft tofu. Pumasa namang taho after mai-init sa microwave and didn't have trouble either with the sago and arnibal. Kaya masaya na rin at nakatikim ng taho. I'm looking forward to making my own pa rin, as I want a softer texture.
Salamat ulit!

Ryanne

kayenne said...

email me if you want help with the sago cooking. =)

Anonymous said...

hi, im looking for the actual procedure of making this taho quick. my hubby likes it when we went visit the philippines, and he misses it in there having a nice pandesal and taho can someone help me out/.. tnxs a lot .jane

Manang said...

Hi jane,
I posted an update to include the procedure for making taho, although I cannot say it is quick. I do not think you can really make taho quick unless you use shortcuts.
I hope the recipes above help!

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