1. Taho
Peddled by vendors bearing aluminium vats, taho is a popular street food in the Philippines. This version of tofu pudding marries glossy curds with translucent sago pearls and arnibal, a thick brown sugar syrup fragranced with pandan or vanilla.
The texture of the soft curds and chewy sago make a delightful combo, which is probably why this is a go-to dessert for Filipinos.
To put together a cup, spoon in the tofu first, followed by a generous drizzling of arnibal and finally, a scoop of cooked sago pearls.
2. Tau huay
Known as tau huay, from the Teochew term for the treat, tofu pudding is commonly served two ways in Thailand.
For breakfast, Thais enjoy the dish in a warm, sweet broth spiked with ginger, and eat it together with dried osmanthus blooms and crunchy mini sticks of fried dough.
To alleviate the afternoon heat, a crowd favourite is tau huay nom sod, a chilled pudding. Instead of ginger syrup, a mixture of soya or fresh milk, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk is reduced and poured over the pudding, which is then topped with fresh tropical fruit.
3. Tau fu fa
In Malaysia and Singapore, the mention of tau fu fa or tau huay conjures images of a wobbly soya bean pudding swimming in sweet syrup.
Eaten warm or cold, and soaked in either white or palm sugar syrup, this simple night market favourite is the stuff of childhood memories.
These days, however, this delight is also served with a range of toppings from grass jelly to taro balls, and can be drenched in chrysanthemum or pandan-infused syrups.
At Malaysian soya bean dessert purveyor Dao Desserts, customers can choose to have their tau fu fa topped with black sesame or red bean paste, and doused in either chrysanthemum or the more traditional ginger-flavoured syrup.
4. Kembang tahu
While the southern Chinese style of tofu pudding is relished in Indonesian homes, street food vendors have added their own spin to the comfort food known locally as kembang tahu or tauwa.
You’ll find jiggly beancurd slices topped with honey and crunchy peanuts, and finished with a ladling of sweetened ginger syrup.
Some vendors even add a splash of coconut milk to the dessert for creaminess, while others offer extras like shredded cheese and Chinese crullers, which are known as cakue in Indonesia.
5. Tau pho
In Vietnam, the styles of tofu pudding, known locally as tau pho, vary according to region.
Northerners love their bowls of melt-in-the-mouth beancurd with jasmine-infused clear sugar syrup or ladlefuls of sweetened ginger syrup.
In central and south Vietnam, toppings are more colourful and textural, with ginkgo nuts, lotus seeds, cubes of grass jelly and fresh coconut shavings. Coconut milk is also a common feature in the southern version of tau pho.
During winter, the dish is eaten warm, while in the summertime, it is often dished up cold or served with crushed ice on top.
According to airasia.com
