 A cup oftahô | |
| Course | Dessert,snack |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Philippines |
| Serving temperature | Warm or room temperature |
| Main ingredients | Silkentofu,arnibal (brown sugarsyrup),sago pearls |
| 323[1] kcal (1,350 kJ) | |
| Similar dishes | Douhua |
Tahô (Tagalog:[tɐˈhoʔ]) is a Philippinesnack food made of freshsoft/silkentofu,arnibal (sweetener and flavoring), andsago pearl (similar totapioca pearls).[2] This staplecomfort food is a signature sweet and tahôpeddlers can be found all over the country.
The dish originated from China, and its name taken from theHokkien pronunciation ofChinese:豆腐;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:tāu-hū, which was introduced to the Philippines viaHoklo immigrants.[3]
Mosttahô vendors prepare the separate ingredients before dawn. The main ingredient, fresh soft/silken tofu, is processed to a consistency that is very similar to a very finecustard. Thebrown sugar iscaramelized and mixed with water to create a viscousamber-colored syrup calledarnibal. Flavors likevanilla are sometimes added to thearnibal.Sago pearls, which can be bought at the local market, are boiled to a gummy consistency until they are a translucent white. In lieu of making soft tofu from scratch, one can use a soft tofu mix from the store.[4]
Leftovertahô, if significant amounts are found, is sometimes repurposed intotokwa ("tofu" in Filipino).
TheMágtatahô (tahô vendor) is a common sight in the Philippine streets. Amágtatahô carries two largealuminum buckets that hang from each end of acarrying pole. The larger bucket carries the tofu base; the smaller bucket holds thearnibal, sago pearls, and cash box.
Tahôvendorspeddle their product in a distinctive manner, walking at a leisurely pace on the sidewalk or shoulder of the road. Mostmágtatahô travel a habitual route and schedule, often calling out"Tahô!" in a loud and full rising inflection to attract customers’ attention. Although vendors are most likely to ply their routes early in the morning, it is not uncommon for amágtatahô to work in the late afternoon or evening as well.
Mostmágtatahô carry plastic cups, often in two sizes, and spoons or straws to serve their product. Some customers in residential areas tend to use their own cups, and the vendors price their product accordingly (usually at around twentyPhilippine pesos, orUS$0.42 for a standard-sized mug). Using a wide, shallow metalwatch glass-shapedscoop, they skim the surface of the bean curd and toss out any excess water, before scooping the bean curd itself into a cup. Then, using a long, thin metal ladle with a tiny bowl, they scoopsago ortapioca pearls andarnibal into the cup, loosely mixing it in.
Tahô is enjoyed either with a spoon, sipping it with a straw, or by simply slurping it straight from the cup. Though traditionally served warm, cold varieties exist in supermarkets and food stalls incafeterias with bean curd in a solid, unbroken state. These pre-packed cups, sold with a plastic spoon or woodenice pop stick, tend to contain firmer tofu.
InBaguio, there is also astrawberry variety oftahô, wherein strawberry syrup is used instead ofarnibal. Other varieties use whitecane sugar syrup, orchocolate sauce.[citation needed][5]
