Soy Bean Curd ( Tau Foo Fah ) 豆腐花

Soy Bean Curd ( Tau Foo Fah ) 豆腐花

Recipe source :  Adapted from Rasa Malaysia


"Tau foo fah" or soy bean curd is an all-time favourite in my family. We used to buy this sweet dessert from a hawker who goes around our housing estate in a tricycle. 

Made from soya bean, it is rich in protein. It is soft and silky smooth which is suitable for the old and the young as well. I like to eat this warm while the children like it cold. 

It is such a refreshing dessert to have on a hot day. 

Ingredients for Soy Bean Curd

500ml fresh soy milk
2 tsp gypsum powder (Available from Chinese medical shops, just tell them you want to buy 'sek koe fun' for making 'tau foo fah')
2 tsp cornflour
1/3 cup water

Note : You may refer to my post on how to make soy milk

Ginger Syrup

2-inch piece ginger - pounded
250g cane rock sugar
300ml water

Method to make ginger syrup

1.  Place cane rock sugar into a small pot. 
2.  Add in water and the pounded ginger.
3.  Boil until the mixture has thicken and look syrupy.   

 Ginger syrup

Method to make the bean curd

1.  In a bowl mix gypsum powder, corn flour and water until well combined. Ensure mixture is well blended.
2.  Bring fresh soy milk to a boil. Skim off the foam and bubbles.
3.. Turn off heat.
4.  Stir the gypsum mixture and pour it into a large pot with a fitting lid.
5.  Pour boiling soy milk into the gypsum mixture from a height of at least 1 foot from above. This is to ensure even distribution of the gypsum mixture. DO NOT STIR.
6. Cover the opening of the pot with a towel and place lid over it.
7.  Allow to set for at least 1 hour. 
8.  When it has set, remove the top layer which is foamy. 
9.  The layer below is firm and silky smooth bean curd.

Remove the topmost layer which is foamy. 

The layer beneath is firm and silky smooth tau foo fah

To serve

1.  Scoop a few spoonful of the bean curd into a bowl. 
2.  Add 1 to 2 tbsp ginger syrup, according to taste.

Mmmm...silky smooth soy bean curd

Soy Milk 豆浆水

Soy Milk 豆浆水

Recipe source :  Adapted from Puri Selera ( booklet distributed by Lever Brothers )


This is a familiar favourite among the local people. It is rich in protein and natural goodness. This drink is easily available in restaurants and food courts around town. However, it feels good to be able to prepare this nutritious drink at home from raw soya beans. And of course the taste is so different because it is so fresh and unadulterated when it is home-made. 

The taste is just fantastic !

Ingredients

300g soya beans - soaked overnight
3 litres water
2 pieces pandan leaves (screw-pine)

Soaked soya beans

For the syrup

150g cane rock  sugar
300ml water
2 pieces pandan leaves

Boil all ingredients together until it thickens and turn syrupy.

 Syrup from cane rock sugar

Method 

1.  Drain dry the soaked soya beans. 
2.  Place one quarter of the soaked soya beans into a blender and add in about 750ml of the water. Blend until fine.
3.  Use a sieve to drain the resulting mixture into another large container. Then transfer the pulp onto a piece of muslin cloth and squeeze out the soy milk. Repeat the process until all soya beans and water is used up.
4.  Use the muslin cloth to sieve the soy milk again.
5.  Boil the soy milk with 2 pieces of pandan leaves. Keep stirring until it boils.
6.  Sweeten with the syrup. 
7.  Can be served hot or chill. 

* Important note- While boiling please use slow fire and keep stirring otherwise once it is burnt, it will carry the burnt taste.

Hot soy milk

Home-made goodness. 

Tastes so good!

 

Watercress Soup 西洋菜汤

Watercress Soup 西洋菜汤

Recipe source :  Doris Choo @ Sumptuous Flavours

I decided to boil this for my family.  I like to drink this watercress soup which is served by the vendor selling mixed vegetarian rice near my office. I took note of the ingredients they used and made some adjustments of my own.

This is the first time I boil savoury soup without any meat. Being so used to having meat in soups, I was initially very worried that this concoction may not turn out well. As the soup was boiling, I have to keep reminding myself that the meatless soup served at the vegetarian outlets tastes wonderful, so mine would taste superb too!

I am so happy that this combination of ingredients blended beautifully to make the soup so clear and sweet.  A sweetness that is so natural and pleasing to the palate.  I just love the aroma of the mushroom stems in the soup. 

This soup is full of natural goodness! It is fat-free. It does not contain any monosodium glutamate. It's very nice!

And watercress is good for clearing heat from our bodies.

Ingredients

150g soy beans ( soaked for 2 to 3 hours )
50g mushroom stems
50g red dates, roughly chopped
50g dried chestnuts ( soaked overnight )
300g watercress
2500ml water
 

Method

1.  Place the first four ingredients into a large pot and add in 2500ml water.
2.  Bring to a boil over high heat.
3.  Reduce fire to low and allow soup to simmer for 2 hours or until the beans and chestnuts are soft.
4.  Add in watercress and continue to boil for a further 30 minutes.
5.  Add salt to taste. 

Fat-free and meatless
Very nice!

Farmhouse Stew 家乡焖 猪肉

Farmhouse Stew 家乡焖 猪肉

Recipe source :  Chopsticks Recipes ~ Chinese Casseroles

This is the first time I am using soy bean to cook a savoury dish although there were times I used soy bean to boil soup. But then it was different because the beans used for boiling soup were usually discarded. 

This farmhouse stew used soya bean as one of the main ingredients together with meat and gluten puffs. Make sure the soy beans are thoroughly cooked until soft. I prefer them to be soft which taste better.

Ingredients

500g pork belly
160g soy bean, soaked until soft, about 4 to 5 hours
160g gluten or bean curd skin
80g tung-choi
2 slices ginger
2 shallots
1 bulb garlic
1 tbsp oil

Seasonings

1 tsp wine
1 cup stock
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sesame oil

Method

1.  Clean and wash pork belly. Dry thoroughly and cut into large pieces.
2.  Drain the soaked soya beans.
3.  Cut glutton into pieces or leave them in long pieces ( it's up to you )
4.  Soak tung-choi for a while and squeeze dry.
5.  Shred ginger, slice shallots and garlic.
6.  Heat casserole with 1 tbsp oil.
7.  Fry ginger, slice shallots and garlic until fragrant.
8.  Put in pork pieces and sprinkle with wine. Stir well.
9.  Add soya bean, tung-choi and glutton.
10. Pour in stock and cook for 20 minutes till soya bean is soft.
11. Add seasonings and adjust taste.
12.  Serve in casserole.

I am linking this post to Mich from Piece Of Cake

who is hosting this month's Little Thumbs Up

 

The theme for October 2013 is Soy beans

The event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids  and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

I am also linking this post to Cook-Your-Books #5



hosted by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours

Silky Soy Curd With Longan

Silky Soy Curd With Longan

Recipe source :  Booklet titled "Vegetarian Malaysia" distributed together with Flavours Magazine


An easy way of making "Tau Foo Fah". So refreshing to have this well-chilled on a hot sunny day. I should have doubled the ingredients to make more!

Ingredients

1 cup thick soya milk, unsweetened
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 tsp agar-agar powder
3/4 tbsp sugar, or to taste
1 tin longan in syrup 
 

Method

1.  Combine soya milk, evaporated milk and agar-agar powder in a pot over medium flame.
2.  Bring to a boil and lower heat. Stir until agar-agar is dissolved. ( About one minute )
3.  Add in sugar and cool slightly before straining into bowls.
4.  Leave to cool further before chilling in the refrigerator.
5.  Add in longans and syrup to the soy curd before serving.

Very refreshing dessert

I am  linking this post with Little Thumbs Up

 

The theme for October is Soy Beans, hosted by Mich of Piece of Cake

Organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

I am also linking this post to Cook-Your-Books #5



hosted by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours

Soya Bean Caramel Pudding 豆奶焦糖布丁

Soya Bean Caramel Pudding 豆奶焦糖布丁

Recipe source :  Y3K magazine Issue 40, 1/2 - 2008


It took me some patience to slowly stir sugar over a slow fire to make the syrup but it was worth every bit of the effort. This sweet caramel pudding was superb! My presentation here may not look nice but let me assure you that the taste is fantastic! 

Chill them well and you really get yourself some sweet indulgence! 

Ingredients 

100g soya beans, soaked overnight
800 ml water
 6 rectangular foil cups

Ingredients For Syrup

125g sugar
75 ml water

Ingredients For Pudding

100 ml fresh milk
130g castor sugar
6 eggs

I started off using these aluminium cups which I found to be too soft. It could not hold its own shape.

After steaming, the pudding were too soft and wobbly to handle. 

So we use spoons to eat the caramel pudding as they broke up when I inverted them onto plates. 

  This type of rectangular aluminium trays saved my day.

Measurement : 13.5cm X 9cm

These are much sturdier and can at least hold its own shape. 

 These rectangular trays have depth so the inverted caramel pudding look much more presentable by comparison. 

 Instructions

1.  Place the soaked soya beans and water into a blender to blend mixture. Use a muslin cloth to strain to extract 700ml of soya milk.
2.  Place sugar for syrup into a small pot and stir over low heat until sugar turns yellow. Add in water and simmer until thick syrup is formed. Spoon the syrup into the foil cups.
3.  Beat eggs lightly. 
4.  Boil fresh milk and sugar for the pudding together. Let is cool slightly, then add in the beaten eggs. Use a sieve to strain this mixture.
5.  Add the beaten egg mixture and the soya milk together. Pour this mixture into foil cups.
6.  Steam them over boiling water for 15 minutes. Uncover the lid a few times to release steam.
7.  Cool pudding. Refrigerate them once they have cooled down. 

I am linking this post to Mich from Piece Of Cake

who is hosting this months Little Thumbs Up

 

The theme for October 2013 is Soy Beans

The event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids  and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY