Humble ingredients make up Hong Kong's street foods, and that is true for the city's most beloved dessert, dau fu fa or tofu pudding.
Made from soybeans and served in sugar syrup, this snack was an accidental discovery.
According to legend, Liu An, a Chinese prince during the Han dynasty, was trying to create a potion for eternal life when he accidentally knocked some gypsum powder into a bucket of soy milk. The mixture curdled into a silky soy pudding, and the rest is history.
The treat became popular because of its smooth, melt-in-the-mouth texture. It can be eaten hot, cold, sweet, savoury or even spicy.
Healthy dessert
Tofu pudding is enjoyed as a dessert to wash down a meal. It is a lot healthier than other traditional Chinese desserts such as black sesame soup or walnut paste, which both have sugar as an ingredient.
One bowl of tofu pudding without toppings has about 160 calories and no sugar. On the other hand, the same serving of black sesame soup is packed with 20 grams of sugar and 349 calories, while a bowl of walnut paste has 19 grams of sugar and 321 calories.
Exciting toppings
This dessert is an excellent source of protein, with 6 grams per serving. It's good to know that tofu pudding does not contain any cholesterol. It is also a good source of iron and calcium.
But the simple tofu pudding is rarely eaten alone. Gooey, sweet syrup is usually poured over the dessert, with a spoonful of orange cane sugar heaped on top. Many dessert shops also offer exciting toppings such as glutinous rice, sago and red bean, and some also have the option to mix the tofu with other dessert soups like black sesame paste.
While these extras may enhance the tofu's taste, they also add quite a lot of sugar to Liu An's original dau fu fa. It may be better to find toppings that don't spoil the natural goodness of tofu.
Here is a recipe for this tasty snack that you can make at home.
Recipe
Ingredients (serves 4)
3 cups of unsweetened soy milk
2 tablespoons of gelatine powder
a dash of maple syrup
chilled watermelon cubes
Directions
- Prepare four small bowls.
- Pour the soy milk into a medium-sized saucepan.
- Sprinkle the gelatine powder over the soy milk, and allow the mixture to stand for five minutes.
- Place the saucepan on the stove over medium heat, and stir for about 5 minutes until the gelatine dissolves. Do not allow it to boil.
- Turn off the heat, and strain the mixture over a fine sieve. Pour equal amounts of the mixture into each bowl. Skim off any bubbles from the surface with a ladle.
- Allow the bowls of mixture to cool before putting them in the fridge to set for eight hours.
- To serve, add a dash of maple syrup, or add some chilled watermelon cubes. Tuck into your bowl of healthy, wobbly dau fu fa!
Quick questions
- Why is tofu pudding healthier than black sesame soup?
- Which minerals can be found in tofu pudding?
- What word in the story is a measurement of energy?
