Through early records, it is evident that tah traces its origin to the Chinese douhua.

Prior to the Spanish Colonization, Chinese were common traders with the natives, influencing Philippine cuisine.

[edit] Processing and preparation

Most tah vendors prepare their goods before dawn. The main ingredient, fresh soft/silken tofu is processed to a consistency that is very similar to a very fine custard. Brown sugar is then heated and caramelized to create a viscous amber-colored syrup called arnibal. Sago "pearls," purchased from the local market or palengke, are boiled to a gummy consistency until they are a transluscent white.

[edit] Marketing
The Magtatah (taho vendor) is a common sight in the Philippines. A magtatah carries two large aluminum buckets that hang from each end of a yoke. One of the buckets (the larger one) carries the tofu base; the other, smaller bucket holds the arnibal and sago "pearls". Tah vendors peddle their product in a distinctive manner, calling its name in a full, rising inflection as they walk at a leisurely pace either along the sidewalk or, in rural communities, in the middle of the road. As most magtatah keep a habitual route, it is not uncommon for vendors to call out "Tahooooo!" to attract a customer's attention. Though vendors are most likely to ply their routes early in the morning, it is not uncommon for a magtatah to be spotted in the late afternoon or the evening as well. This is particularly common in the heart of Manila, most particularly by Manila Bay. In Baguio, there is also a strawberry variety of taho, wherein strawberry syrup is used instead of arnibal. Other varieties are in chocolate and buko pandan flavor.

[edit] Eating
Most magtataho carry plastic cups for their product, often in two sizes (though vendors in residential communities tend to use their customers' cups and price their product accordingly). Using a wide, shallow metal sandok or scoop, they skim the surface of the bean curd and toss out any excess water, subsequently scooping the bean curd itself into a cup. Then, using a long, thin metal ladle, they scoop sago or tapioca "pearls" and arnibal into the cup, loosely mixing it in. Tah is enjoyed either with a spoon, sipping it with a straw, or by simply slurping it straight from the cup. Though traditionally served warm, cold varieties exist in supermarkets and in food stalls in cafeterias which have the bean curd in a solid, unbroken state. These pre-packed cups tend to contain a firmer tofu which need to be broken up and is sold either with a plastic spoon or a wooden popsicle stick.

[edit] See also

Cuisine of the Philippines Filipino Chinese cuisine

Tofu Douhua

[edit] References
1. ^ "Taho: Nutrition Facts". http://www.recipezaar.com/298213. Retrieved 2008-07-16. 2. ^ "How to make Taho". Archived from the original on 2007-05-03. http://web.archive.org/web/20070503151341/http://www.tahoonline.info/howto.html. Retrieved 2007-05-05. 3. ^ Davidson, Alan (2003). Seafood of South-East Asia. Ten Speed Press. p. 214. ISBN 1580084524. http://books.google.com/books?id=8nhfSFs79fUC&pg=PA214&dq=taho+Philippines &lr=&sig=LKXkZgu4Qv8UyyinD-Vxh8p5DUI. Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Taho&oldid=485350451" View page ratings Rate this page What's this? Trustworthy Objective Complete Well-written I am highly knowledgeable about this topic (optional) I have a relevant college/university degree It is part of my profession It is a deep personal passion The source of my knowledge is not listed here I would like to help improve Wikipedia, send me an e-mail (optional) We will send you a confirmation e-mail. We will not share your e-mail address with outside parties as per our feedback privacy statement. Submit ratings Saved successfully Your ratings have not been submitted yet Your ratings have expired Please reevaluate this page and submit new ratings. An error has occurred. Please try again later. Thanks! Your ratings have been saved. Please take a moment to complete a short survey. Start survey Maybe later Thanks! Your ratings have been saved. Do you want to create an account?

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