Dou Hua /Tau Foo Fah (Soybean Pudding-using agar agar or gelatin)

Make this soft, wobbly, and smooth Chinese-style tau foo fah from soybean milk (or any milk) without using gypsum powder or GDL. The dou hua is served with easy delicious ginger syrup.

What is dou hua / tau foo fah ?

Chinese dou hua (豆腐花) is a traditional Chinese dessert made from soybeans. It is often referred to as “tofu pudding” or “soybean pudding.” It is also known as Tau foo fah in Cantonese or dou hua in Mandarin or tau huay in Hokkien or Kembang Tahu Jahe in Indonesian language, is one of my favorite childhood desserts/snacks. Dou hua is a soft and silky dessert with a texture similar to custard or panna cotta. It is known for its delicate, melt-in-the-mouth consistency. There are many regional variations of dou hua in China, and it can be served in various sweet or savory forms. It’s a popular street food and dessert in China and is enjoyed by people of all ages.

WHY YOU WILL LIKE THIS TAU FOO FAH RECIPE

1. NO CHEMICALS
Traditional tau foo fah is made by boiling the soybean milk and then GDL or gypsum powder is added to help the soybean coagulate into a pudding-like texture. This recipe doesn’t use that and only utilizes the good ol’ agar agar powder or gelatin powder
2. EASY AND CONVENIENT RECIPE
You don’t have to make the soybean milk from scratch. You can if you want to. I use organic unsweetened soybean milk and it turned out just as good and so much less work for real
3. YOU CAN USE DIFFERENT TYPE OF MILK
You can use other types of nut milk or dairy with this recipe. I have tried almond milk, cashew milk, and regular cow’s milk and they work just great.

INGREDIENTS

You only need 2 ingredients to make this dou hua : Plain unsweetened soybean milk, agar agar powder or gelatin powder.
For the ginger syrup: fresh ginger, brown/white sugar, water.

Dou Hua /Tau Foo Fah (Soybean Pudding-using agar agar or gelatin)

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 17 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

4.8 from 18 reviews

REVIEW & RATE PRINT

Ingredients

0.5x1x2x

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 1000 ml unsweetened plain soymilk
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract optional

If using agar agar:

• ▢ 4 g agar agar powder 1 1/3 tsp, see notes 1

If using gelatin powder:

• ▢ 13 g gelatin powder 1 Tbsp + 1/3 teaspoons

Ginger syrup:

• ▢ 250 g water
• ▢ 200 g brown sugar or palm sugar more or less to your preference
• ▢ 25 g fresh ginger peeled and thinly sliced

Instructions

 

• PLEASE NOTE: I recommend using standardized measuring spoons or a digital weighing scale to measure the agar agar or gelatin. If you use measuring spoons, make sure you scoop and level it. I prefer to weigh with scale for accuracy. Agar agar is a powerful thickener/stabilizer and using too much or too little can affect the result

Prepare the ginger syrup:

• Place everything in a saucepan and bring to a boil and then lower the heat to low, cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Strain the mixture and let it cool down. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week

If using agar agar:

• Put all ingredients for pudding, except for vanilla extract, in a large pot over medium-high heat. Continue to stir and make sure you don't let the bottom of the pot catch the soymilk and burn. Once it has come to a boil, lower the heat and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes. Make sure the agar agar powder has dissolved (it should be) and you don't see any more specks. If the agar agar doesn't dissolve, the pudding won't set properly when you chill it. Stir in the vanilla extract
• Remove from the heat and strain into another container. Use a spoon to gently scoop up the froth/bubbles so the surface of the dou hua will be smooth later. Let it cool down at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes and then proceed to chilling

If using gelatin:

• Sprinkle the gelatin over 3/4 cup of soy milk and let it bloom for 5 minutes. We do this so that the gelatin won't clump when you add it to the hot liquid. While waiting, add the rest of the milk to a large pot and bring to a gentle simmer and then turn off the heat. Let it cool down a little bit. Stir in the bloomed gelatin and whisk until dissolved. You want to make sure the gelatin really dissolves. Add vanilla extract if using and stir to combine
• Strain into another container. Use a spoon to gently scoop up the froth/bubbles so the surface of the dou hua will be smooth later. Let it cool down at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes and then proceed to chilling

Chilling:

• Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours if you are using gelatin and about 2-3 hours if using agar agar powder. Gelatin takes longer to set compared to agar agar. Whether you make it with agar agar or gelatin, I recommend chilling it overnight if you can. Once it sets, it should have nicely coagulated, but wobbly when you gently shake it. That's the right texture

Serving:

• There's a special flat sharp spatula that they use to thinly slice the bean curd pudding into serving bowl. I don't have it. I just use regular spoon and serve with few spoonfuls of ginger syrup on the tau foo fah

Storing:

• Since this is made with agar agar powder or gelatin, try not to keep the tau foo fah longer than 3 days in the fridge. The longer it sits, the more watery it will get. I definitely do not recommend freezing

RECOMMEDED TOOLS

Stainless Steel Pot

Saucepan

agar agar powder

Marv’s Recipe Notes

1. If using 1 1/3 teaspoon of agar agar is too firm for your liking, you can try 1 1/4 teaspoon and see if you like it better. I’ve tried with only 1 teaspoon of agar agar and the texture is really wobbly and soft, but it turned “watery” pretty fast too. So I would say the minimum is 1 1/4 teaspoon per 1000 ml of soy milk

1 teaspoon agar agar powder = 3 grams, 1 teaspoon gelatin powder= 4 grams

This recipe was last updated on October 25, 2023 to add updates step-by-step photos and clearer instructions

*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*

Nutrition Facts

Dou Hua /Tau Foo Fah (Soybean Pudding-using agar agar or gelatin)

Serving Size

 

1 serving

Amount per Serving

Calories

243

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

3

g

5

%

Saturated Fat

 

0.4

g

3

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Sodium

 

87

mg

4

%

Potassium

 

319

mg

9

%

Carbohydrates

 

49

g

16

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

45

g

50

%

Protein

 

6

g

12

%

Vitamin A

 

399

IU

8

%

Vitamin C

 

0.3

mg

0

%

Calcium

 

279

mg

28

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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AGAR AGAR POWDER OR GELATIN POWDER VERSION ?

1. Texture
They both produce a soft wobbly texture, BUT, if I’m being picky and must choose, the one made with gelatin powder won me over. Why? The texture of dou hua made with gelatin is very smooth and has that soft bouncy texture that you won’t really find in dou hua made with agar agar powder.
2. Gelatin version lasts longer
The gelatin version doesn’t run watery as fast as the agar agar version

HOW TO MAKE GINGER SYRUP FOR TAU FOO FAH

1. Place everything in a saucepan and bring to a boil

2. Then lower the heat to low, cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat. Strain the mixture and let it cool down. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week

HOW TO MAKE TAU FOO FAH WITH AGAR AGAR POWDER

1. Combine soybean milk with agar agar powder. Stir to mix until you no longer see the agar agar powder lumps.

2. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring at the same time. The soybean milk might catch at the bottom and get burnt if you stop stirring.

3. Once it has come to a boil, lower the heat and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes. Make sure the agar agar powder has dissolved (it should be). Stir in the vanilla extract.

4. Remove from the heat and strain into another pot or container. Let it cool down at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes

5. Carefully transfer to the refrigerator, and chill for at least 2-3 hours, preferably overnight. Once it sets, it should have nicely coagulated, but jiggly when you gently shake it. That’s the right texture.

HOW TO MAKE TAU FOO FAH WITH GELATIN POWDER

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over 3/4 cup of soy milk and let it bloom for 5 minutes. We do this so that the gelatin won’t clump when you add it to the hot liquid.

2. While waiting, add the rest of the milk to a large pot and bring to a gentle simmer and then turn off the heat. Let it cool down a little bit. Stir in the bloomed gelatin and whisk until dissolved. You want to make sure the gelatin really dissolves

3. Strain into another container. Use a spoon to gently scoop up the froth/bubbles if you see any, so the surface of the dou hua will be smooth later.

4. Let it cool down at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes and then proceed to chilling. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours if you are using gelatin, preferably overnight

HOW TO SERVE TAU FOO FAH

Dou Hua can be found throughout Asia, from bustling street food stalls to high-end restaurants. Depending on where you are, you might encounter different variations of this dessert:
1. Toppings: The most common way to serve Dou Hua is to drizzle it with sweet syrup. Variations include sugar syrup, ginger syrup, and, for those with a sweet tooth, red bean paste, which adds a touch of texture and extra sweetness.
2. Savory Dou Hua: In some regions, Dou Hua is served as a savory dish. Instead of sugar and sweet toppings, it is dressed with soy sauce, chili oil, and perhaps even preserved vegetables, creating a unique contrast of flavors.
3. Served cold: Traditional Dou Hua can be enjoyed both hot and cold. But because ours are made with agar agar powder or gelatin powder, heating them up will melt the dou hua. So they need to be served cold or room temperature

What do you think? It’s not that bad right? 🙂 I like how convenient it is to make. If you are all hardcore and want to make your own soybean milk you certainly can.

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DID YOU MAKE THIS EASY TAU FOO FAH RECIPE?

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