Tau Foo Fah
Malaysian Silken Tofu Dessert
A delicate and silky smooth silken tofu dessert, traditionally served with a warming and aromatic ginger syrup. This recipe focuses on achieving that perfect, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 liter Unsweetened soy milk(Use good quality, unsweetened soy milk for the best flavor and texture. Avoid soy milk with added thickeners if possible.)
- 2 tsp Gypsum powder (food grade)(Also known as calcium sulfate. This is the traditional coagulant for silken tofu. Ensure it is food grade. It can be found in Asian grocery stores or online.)
- 50 g Fresh ginger(Peeled and thinly sliced or grated.)
- 150 g Palm sugar (Gula Melaka)(Or substitute with dark brown sugar. Palm sugar adds a unique caramel note.)
- 200 ml Water(For the ginger syrup.)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the soy milk base: In a large pot, gently heat the soy milk over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Heat until it is steaming and small bubbles form around the edges, but do not bring it to a rolling boil. The target temperature is around 80-85°C (175-185°F).
⏱️ 10 minutes - 2
Dissolve the coagulant: In a small bowl, whisk the gypsum powder with about 100ml of the warm soy milk until completely dissolved. Ensure there are no lumps. This mixture should be smooth.
⏱️ 2 minutes - 3
Combine and set: Slowly pour the dissolved gypsum mixture back into the pot of warm soy milk, stirring very gently for about 30 seconds. Avoid vigorous stirring, which can break the delicate proteins. Immediately turn off the heat. Carefully ladle the mixture into individual serving bowls or a larger shallow dish. Cover the bowls with lids or plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let the tau foo fah set undisturbed at room temperature for at least 30-45 minutes, or until firm.
⏱️ 45 minutes (setting time) - 4
Make the ginger syrup: While the tau foo fah is setting, combine the palm sugar, water, and sliced ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes, allowing the ginger to infuse its flavor into the syrup. The syrup should thicken slightly. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
⏱️ 15 minutes - 5
Serve: Once the tau foo fah has set and is firm, carefully spoon some of the warm or cooled ginger syrup over the top. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 2 minutes
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For an extra smooth texture, strain the soy milk through a fine-mesh sieve before heating.
- ✓Ensure the gypsum powder is completely dissolved to avoid gritty texture.
- ✓The ginger syrup can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.
- ✓Serve warm for a comforting dessert, or chilled for a refreshing treat.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Add a pandan leaf to the ginger syrup while simmering for a fragrant pandan-ginger flavor.
- For a sweeter, more concentrated syrup, use less water.
- Experiment with different types of sugar for the syrup, such as brown sugar or rock sugar.