Tau Foo Fah or Flower Tofu?

Tau Foo Fah as I have translated it as Flower Tofu to catch the eye is simply made from soya beans. The soya bean milk from blending the soya beans with water is usually mixed with gypsum powder and left to set until Tau Foo Fah is produced.

A good Tau Foo Fah is soft and silky smooth so it glides down the throat with every spoonful. It should be eaten mixed with  a sugar syrup. Put the Tau Foo Fah into a bowl and pour about half a tablespoonful or of the sugar syrup in (the amount of sugar syrup should always be adjusted according to one's taste). Tau Foo Fah is bland so the sugar syrup is needed to go with Tau Foo Fah to enhance its taste although it can be eaten on its own.

Some describe  describe Tau Foo Fah as soya pudding but I think a better description is soya custard. Maybe a photo can give a clearer picture of what I say. 

A Bowl of Tau Foo Fah

Mix the Tau Foo Fah with the sugar syrup and the Tau Foo Fah breaks into pieces like little flowers.

There are several stalls selling soya milk and Tau Foo fah in my hometown. There's one called Funny Mountain Soya Bean. Tucked into a corner of a shophouse, it has been around for a long time. The queue is long and there is only a wooden bench or two. No air conditioning. The Tau Foo Fah are in tubs and piping hot which is exactly the way it should be eaten. The soya bean milk usually mixed with a sugar syrup can be taken hot or ice cold. Unlike an ice cream parlour, there's no need to linger over soya bean milk or Tau Foo Fah. A quick drink or a few spoonfuls and I can be on my way.

In this photo the cars are not passing by. The drivers have parked their cars to place their orders for their drinks and Tau Foo Fah.

Another stall in my hometown selling soya bean milk.

Soya bean milk and Tau Foo Fah go well together too  as a mixture. Whether taken on its own or together its really inexpensive and great food.