Taho #Recipe by Mia P. Manansala @MPMtheWriter

In my Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso recipe, I mentioned that a brown sugar syrup known as arnibal was commonly used in Filipino drinks and desserts. In that post, I promised to share several recipes that use arnibal and then promptly forgot (Or rather, I made the recipes but totally forgot to take pictures for the posts).

Soft, silky tofu topped with brown sugar syrup and tapioca pearls (I used the kind you find in boba/bubble tea, but regular tapioca is more common)

So today, I’m sharing one of my favorite recipes that uses arnibal: taho, or sweet tofu pudding with brown sugar syrup and tapioca pearls. It’s fast, it’s simple, and this surprising combination of ingredients is so tasty and comforting. 

Taho is a common street food in the Philippines, usually sold in the morning by taho vendors walking the streets with two buckets connected to a long pole slung over the vendor's shoulders. They call out, “Tahooo!” as they walk, attracting the attention of the people in the area who race over to get their daily taho fix. I’ve only been to the Philippines a handful of times, so it’s not an experience I’ve had often, but there was something so delicious and satisfying about this simple street food ritual. Luckily, the dish itself is easy enough to recreate at home.

Taho Recipe

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 (16 oz) package of soft/silken tofu
• Tapioca pearls, cooked
• Chia seeds, optional*

Directions:

1. Combine the brown sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until it thickens into a syrup (arnibal) and reduces by about a quarter to a half (depending on your desired consistency).
2. Cut the tofu into three to four servings and put the tofu into microwave-safe bowls or cups. Using a spoon, cut each serving into thick chunks or slivers and microwave the tofu for about a minute.
3. Top the tofu with tapioca pearls or chia seeds* and as much arnibal as you like.
4. Enjoy! 

*Chia seeds are not at all traditional, but sometimes I'll sub them in when I don't have tapioca or am looking for something with a bit of crunch rather than chewiness. The pictures below show two different bowls because the chia seed version (which I had in the green bowl) is much less photogenic than the tapioca pearl version.

Cast of characters: Chia seeds (optional), tapioca pearls, brown sugar, soft/silken tofu

Combine the brown sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until it turns into a slightly thick syrup.

Put a serving (roughly 1/3 - 1/4 block) of tofu into a microwave-safe bowl or cup. Microwave for about a minute.

Top with tapioca pearls or chia seeds and douse with the brown sugar syrup. Enjoy!

Do you enjoy tofu? Have you ever tried tofu as a sweet snack or dessert? Let me know in the comments!

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Blackmail and Bibingka (October 4, 2022)

When her long-lost cousin comes back to town just in time for the holidays, Lila Macapagal knows that big trouble can’t be far behind in this new mystery by Mia P. Manansala, author of Arsenic and Adobo.

 

It’s Christmastime in Shady Palms, but things are far from jolly for Lila Macapagal. Sure, her new business, the Brew-ha Cafe, is looking to turn a profit in its first year. And yes, she’s taken the first step in a new romance with her good friend Jae Park. But her cousin Ronnie is back in town after ghosting the family fifteen years ago, claiming that his recent purchase of a local winery shows that he’s back on his feet and ready to contribute to the Shady Palms community. Tita Rosie is thrilled with the return of her prodigal son, but Lila knows that wherever Ronnie goes, trouble follows.

 

She’s soon proven right when Ronnie is suspected of murder, and secrets surrounding her shady cousin and those involved with the winery start piling up. Now Lila has to put away years of resentment and distrust to prove her cousin’s innocence. He may be a jerk, but he’s still family. And there’s no way her flesh and blood could actually be a murderer . . . right?

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