Fondly called Taho (sweet tofu with tapioca and sugar syrup), this dessert/snack is one of those food a lot of Filipino expatriates misses the most. For those in North America (and other part of the world) , try this DIY taho recipe and see it brings back memories of back home.
To make Tapioca Pearls: In a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, pour 6 cups of water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, pour the uncooked Tapioca and stir to keep the pearls separate. Switch heat to med-low , cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Turn the heat off and let the mixture cool to room temperature. DO NOT OPEN the lid. Once cool, taste one to make sure it’s cooked all the way through.
In a separate pan, combine brown sugar and water and bring to a boil on medium heat. Cook partly covered for 5 more minutes until syrupy.
To assemble Taho, remove the dessert tofu from its original packaging and transfer to a microwaveable bowl and microwave for 1 minute or until warm and heated through. You can also steam the tofu for 5 -10 minutes if you don’t want to use a microwave.
Add some cooked Tapioca and top with a few spoonfuls of the sweet sugar syrup.
Notes
*** Tapioca cooking times vary depending on size and brand. If it’s still not cooked through after the suggested time, bring it back to a boil for 5 minutes and turn the heat off to cool. Do not open lid while cooling. For small tapioca pearls, reduce cooking time to 20 minutes.*** If you can’t find dessert Tofu in your area, you can use soft silken tofu instead. If you fancy flavored taho, dessert tofu comes in a variety of flavors (banana, taro, mango, berries, maple, etc.).