Taho — Luzon, Philippines

Taho is the national street breakfast: freshly set silken tofu, served warm with sago pearls and arnibal, a dark palm-sugar syrup. The magtataho carries it in buckets hung from a pole across his shoulder and walks the streets between 6 and 10 in the morning shouting "tahooo", a sound every Filipino recognizes from bed. It is eaten straight from the cup with a long spoon, layering tofu, syrup and sago in turns.

Ingredients

500 g silken tofu (tahu), warmed
150 g dark palm sugar (muscovado or panutsa)
150 ml water
100 g cooked sago pearls
1 pinch of vanilla (optional)

200–300 kcal per typical serving. Per large cup of taho (~400 ml), depending on the amount of syrup. (estimated from the typical recipe)

Where to try it

Manila

More history on Wikipedia: Taho

How it is made

Melt the palm sugar with the water over low heat for 10 minutes into a slightly dense arnibal.
Boil the sago pearls until translucent and drain.
Warm the tofu in a water bath or steamer; it must be served warm, never cold.
Ladle the tofu into cups, add 2-3 tbsp of arnibal and crown with the sago pearls.
Serve at once so the diner stirs the layers together with the spoon.