Make Taho

Taho is a classic Filipino dish often eaten for breakfast or as a snack. Usually served warm, taho consists of silken tofu topped with chewy sago pearls and drizzled with thick, sweet syrup called arnibal. A delightful combination of textures and tastes, taho is a perfect snack if you’re craving something sweet, light, and full of texture.

Ingredients

• 1 one-pound (453.6 grams) package of silken tofu
• ¾ cup (177.4 ml) dark brown sugar
• ¼ cups (59.1 ml) sago pearls (also called tapioca pearls)
• 6 ½ cups (1.5 l) water
• ½ teaspoon (30 drops) vanilla extract

Steps

Cooking the Sago Pearls

1. Bring water and sugar to a boil. Pour in 6 cups (1.5 l) of water into a large saucepan, and stir in ¼ cup (59.1 ml) of dark brown sugar. Turn the burner to medium heat and cook until the water has boiled.
2. Add the sago pearls. After the water has boiled, add in the ¼ cup (59.1 ml) of sago pearls. Pour them in, stirring regularly, and cook them until the water returns to a boil.
   • Make sure that you stir at least occasionally because sago pearls are very sticky and are prone to sticking together.
3. Simmer until the sago pearls are tender. After the sago pearls have reached a boil, lower the heat and let them simmer. Keep checking on the sago pearls until they are translucent with a solid-looking center. When finished, the pearls should be soft but still fairly chewy.
   • Small sago pearls take about 20-30 minutes to make, while larger varieties can take up to an hour and a half.
   • If you are cooking larger sago pearls, simmer them for 30 minutes with the lid on and then turn off the heat. Keep the lid on and let the pearls sit and cook for another hour. If the large pearls still aren’t fully cooked, turn up the heat and keep cooking and testing the pearls until they are done.
   • You can also pre-prepare the sago pearls if you wish. After cooking and draining the pearls, put them in a bowl, pour in enough water to cover them, and refrigerate them for up to three days.
   • Don’t over-cook the sago, as this changes the texture and makes them mushy.
4. Drain the sago pearls. After the sago has reached the desired consistency, strain the pearls in a colander. Run cold water over the pearls to cool them and ensure that they don’t cook any further.
5. Cover the pearls with water and refrigerate. Transfer the sago pearls into a container and pour in enough room-temperature water to completely cover them. The water will help cool them and also prevent them from sticking to each other. Store them uncovered in the fridge while you are preparing the other ingredients.

Preparing the Arnibal Syrup and Tofu

1. Combine sugar, vanilla and water. In a medium saucepan, pour ½ cup (118.2 ml) of water, ¼ cup (59.1 ml) of brown sugar and ½ teaspoon (30 drops) of vanilla extract.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cook the mixture over medium heat until it reaches a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for a minute or two. By this time, you should see that the sugar has dissolved and the syrup looks uniform in texture. Stir occasionally so that the sugar doesn't stick to the sides.
3. Remove the syrup from the heat. After the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has turned into a thick syrup, take the arnibal syrup off the heat. Stir it with a spoon to ensure it doesn’t stick to the sides of the saucepan, then put the saucepan aside.
4. Bring water in a steamer to boil. Set up a steamer on the stovetop over medium heat. Fill the lower pan of the steamer with about two cups (473.1 ml) of water, then bring the water to a boil.
5. Steam the tofu for 15 minutes. Place the tofu on a heat-safe plate, then place the plate in the steamer. Let it steam for 15 minutes, then remove the plate from the steamer.
6. Cut the tofu. The tofu in taho is typically cut into bite-size pieces so that it can be enjoyed in the same spoonful as sago pearls. Some enjoy the tofu cut in small cubes, while other like to cut the tofu in long layers. If in doubt, cut the tofu into inch-long (2.5 cm) chunks.

Combining Ingredients

1. Place the tofu chunks into cups. Dish out the chunks of tofu into a cup, or several cups if you are serving multiple people. Try to distribute the tofu evenly.
   • Taho is often served in clear plastic cups, though it also can be served in bowls if you wish.
   • The visual aspect of the taho is part of what makes this treat so enjoyable! Even if you are serving in a bowl, try to use a glass bowl so that you can see the swirl of colors inside.
   • If you waited to assemble the taho and the tofu or syrup got cold, heat them for 40 seconds or so in the microwave. Taho is meant to be eaten warm.
2. Add the sago pearls. Take the bowl of sago pearls out of the refrigerator. Pour out the water, and press the pearls lightly with a paper towel so that they aren’t moist. Then dish out the pearls into the cups. Include a generous amount in each cup.
3. Pour in the arnibal syrup. After you have added the tofu and the sago pearls, pour in the arnibal syrup. Again, use a generous amount so that every bite of the taho will include the sweet syrup.
4. Stir the ingredients. Use a long spoon to gently press the tofu aside and allow the arnibal syrup to trickle down to the bottom of the cup. Also try to push some of the sago pearls toward the middle of the cup so that they aren’t all at the top.
   • Be gentle as you push aside the tofu. You don’t want to scramble the tofu or cut it so that it loses its shape. Instead, try to prod it aside so that the syrup and sago pearls can get mixed into the middle and bottom of the cup.
   • Mixing the taho ensures that each bite is equally enjoyable.
5. Serve the taho warm. After you have assembled the taho, serve it immediately while it’s still warm! Eat the taho with a spoon, and enjoy this light, flavorful treat!

Tips

• You can also process and blend soy to make the base for taho instead of using store bought tofu.
• Some people enjoy taho with more syrup than others. If you are unsure of how much to put in, remember that you can always add more later if you want the taho more sweet!
• Make sure that you are precise when cooking the sago pearls, and try to sample them regularly to check whether or not they are ready.

Things You'll Need

• large saucepan
• medium saucepan
• colander
• large bowl
• serving bowls or cups

Sources and Citations

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See also

• Make Ginataan
• Make Ensaymada
• Make Pinoy Cheese Cupcakes
• Make Tocino
• Make Pastillas
• Make Longganisa
• Make Palitaw
• Make a Famous Philippine Chicken Adobo
• Make Fried Rice with Soy Sauce
• Make Fried Siomai

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