Douhua: This Vegan Chinese Tofu Pudding Should be Your Next Kitchen Experiment

Ever heard of a soupy tofu dessert? Sounds bizarre, right? But this delicacy is guaranteed to blow your mind and open up your palate. So, don't knock it till you've tried it!

It's difficult to find a dessert that is both healthy and guaranteed to please your sweet tooth. Your options become even more limited if you have certain dietary preferences or restrictions. However, we have discovered a pudding that checks all the right boxes (unless you're allergic to soy) and requires the bare minimum prep and cook time. It's called douhua (also known as Tao Fu Hua), a southern Chinese delicacy made with silken tofu and an amber coloured, ginger-infused syrup. Douhua is not just a dessert item, it’s also eaten for breakfast and as a snack.

There are many regional differences to this dish across Asia, featuring fruit syrups, tapioca pearls, sweet red beans, cold milk, coconut water, and chopped fruits. Sometimes the ginger syrup is infused with pandan leaves and even jasmine. You can also use honey, agave syrup or maple syrup if you do not like the broth-like consistency of the douhua sauce. Consider silken tofu a versatile canvas that can have so many different, pleasing variations depending on ingredient availability.

As silken tofu is made from soybeans, it contains protein, omega fatty acids, calcium, and micronutrients like Vitamin A, C, and E. It is also a cholesterol free alternative if you do have a health issue that requires you to refrain from eating mithai and chocolates. Silken tofu is also a great source of dietary isoflavones, which may help boost cardiovascular and bone health, prevent cognitive function, and protect you against certain types of cancers. Silken tofu has a high water content and undergoes the least amount of filtration during its production process, resulting in a jiggly, smooth, and custard-like texture. This is why it is a great medium for both savoury and sweet dishes.

Making silken tofu or any type of tofu at home can be tricky and time-consuming, but the ultimate result can have a richer, less processed and homier taste, making the effort worthwhile. However, for the sake of convenience, store-bought tofu is appropriate for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• Packet of silken tofu
• 2 cups of water
• 4-5 slices of peeled ginger
• ½ of cane sugar or brown sugar

Instructions:

• In a saucepan, take the water, ginger, and cane sugar and bring it to a boil.
• Reduce your stove’s flame and simmer this sauce till all of the sugar dissolves. The douhua syrup is usually watery, so the purpose here is to refrain from leaving the saucepan on the flame for too long.
• Transfer the syrup into a jar and chill it in the fridge. If you’re too lazy, then stick the saucepan into the fridge.
• After the syrup is sufficiently cool, you can take it out. Fish out the ginger slices or leave them in if you want a deeper taste.
• Take the silken tofu and drain any water in the packet. Scoop out a sufficient amount into a bowl. If you want to make a meal out of this dessert, then just use the entire slab.
• Pour the syrup on the tofu and enjoy this quick and healthy pudding.

If you want to make a Filipino version of this dish (Taho), then you can add tapioca pearls to the desert. There are some additional steps:

• Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and after bringing it to a boil, add the tapioca pearls. Simmer and stir till the pearls are almost translucent. This can take around 30 minutes.
• Perform a taste test; they should be tender yet chewy. If not, then continue cooking them,
• After that drain and rinse the pearls to remove excess starch. Set aside.
• Drain the hot water and rinse them to remove any starch. Keep aside.
• The syrup (known as arnibal) for this requires vanilla instead of ginger along with brown sugar or cane sugar. Chill the syrup in the fridge, as this dish is also served cold
• Scoop out the tofu in your serving bowl and ladle the chilled syrup on top along with the sweetened tapioca pearls.