Taho Recipe – Arnibal, Ube, & Pandan

There are many delicious snacks in the Philippines that you can enjoy any time of day. Of these snacks, taho is one of the most popular and easy to make recipes.

Taho is a soft tofu-based snack or dessert that is made from layers of fresh silken tofu and chewy sago pearls, then generously drizzled on top with a sweet syrup. It is a popular food in the Philippines and other Asian countries like Singapore and China.

We will teach you how to make 3 taho flavors – arnibal, ube, and pandan. You’ll learn how easy they are to make and how delicious they taste!

Keep reading to find out how you can make these delicious treats at home for yourself or your friends and family!

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Table of Contents

What is taho?

Taho is a popular street snack in the Philippines. It is made from a combination of silken tofu, soft and chewy sago pearls, and amber-colored arnibal.

Taho originates from the Chinese tofu dessert, douhua. Douha is a tofu pudding, which can be flavored in a variety of sweet or savory ingredients.

The Philippines has a long historical relationship with China and the cuisine has heavily influenced the food culture in the country. Taho is just one example of the many Filipino dishes that incorporate Chinese cuisine.

In the Philippines, you can easily recognize a magtataho (taho vendor) as they walk through the streets. They carry on their shoulders a carrying pole with two large buckets hanging from the ends.

Inside the buckets are ingredients and serving utensils, which they will use to prepare the taho. Vendors are also known for yelling “Taho! Taho!” to get the attention of potential customers.

What does taho taste like?

Taho tastes pleasantly sweet, soft, and creamy. The main source of flavor comes from the arnibal, which is a brown sugar syrup. The tofu gives the dish its soft texture and absorbs the sweetness of the syrup. Sago pearls give the dish another layer of texture and add an exciting chewiness.

This combination of flavors and textures is what makes taho so special!

Taho is usually served warm, but depending on your preference and the weather you can enjoy it either hot or cold! We especially love cold taho when it’s a hot summer day. Refreshing!

What is taho sauce made of?

The sauce in taho is called arnibal, which is traditionally a brown sugar simple syrup.

It consists of only two ingredients: brown sugar and water.

It can vary in color depending on the sugar used and the cooking time. It also depends on the consistency you want the sauce to be.

In our recipe, we use a ratio of 2 parts muscovado sugar to 1 part water. This is a higher concentration of sugar which will give you a deeper amber color and a thicker consistency.

Muscovado, which has a higher molasses content than other types of sugar, gives the sauce more complex flavor and richer color. If you do not have muscovado sugar, you may use either dark brown sugar or light brown sugar instead.

Check out our Brown Sugar Boba Milk Tea recipe using muscovado sugar here!

What flavors can taho be made with?

Traditionally, taho was prepared with only one flavor (arnibal). However, modern day taho has evolved to include a variety of flavors. The most common flavors added to taho include vanilla, ube, pandan, mango, and strawberry!

In this blog post, we will show you how to make classic arnibal as well as two flavor variations – ube and pandan.

Ube taho is flavored with ube extract. It adds a subtle sweetness and nuttiness, and a burst of purple color to the taho. We used ube extract, which mixes into the simple syrup with ease.

Please note that ube extract is very powerful in flavor, so adding too much could make the dish taste bitter.

Looking for other delicious things you can make with ube? Find our Easy and Refreshing Ube Horchata Recipe

Pandan taho is a beautiful green color and tastes similar to vanilla. Pandan is a tropical plant that is often used in Asian desserts like Buko Pandan Salad. This version of taho tastes mildly sweet compared to the stronger flavors of ube and arnibal.

How to make taho:

To make taho, you must prepare arnibal, sago pearls, and silken tofu. Then when it is time to serve, you can assemble them together.

We recommend preparing large sago pearls a day or two in advance. You can also use smaller sago pearls or boba pearls if you want to save time. Our recipe will guide you through the steps on how to make this classic Filipino dessert at home.

Ingredients

• 1 package silken tofu
• 100 grams large sago pearls
• 1 liter water for boiling

Arnibal

• 1 cup muscovado sugar or brown sugar
• ½ cup water

Ube Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• ⅛ tsp ube extract

Pandan Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• ⅛ tsp pandan extract

Recipe

Prepare the sago

1. Cook sago pearls according to package instructions, or use this basic double-boiling method provided in the next steps. (Note: this method requires soaking the sago overnight.)
2. For 100g large sago: bring to boil 1 liter of water. Once boiling, add the sago and cook for 15 minutes.

3. Rinse the sago with cold water to stop the cooking. Submerge the sago in a bowl of water and refrigerate overnight.

4. The next day, repeat the boiling procedure except for only 10 minutes. Rinse again with cold water.
5. Submerge the sago in a bowl of water for 3 hours in the fridge or until they are translucent.

Make Arnibal

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, dissolve brown sugar in water. Stir to prevent burning. Bring the syrup up to boiling then remove from heat. (You may simmer it for longer if you prefer a thicker syrup)
2. Set aside the arnibal in a heatproof mason jar or container.

Make Ube and Pandan Syrups

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, dissolve white sugar in water. Stir to prevent burning. Bring the syrup up to boiling then remove from heat. (You may simmer it for longer if you prefer a thicker syrup)
2. Set aside the syrup in a heatproof mason jar or container.
3. Let the syrup cool for at least 5 minutes. Mix in your extract of choice.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for the other flavor.

Assembly

1. In a serving cup or bowl, add alternating layers of tofu and sago pearls.
2. Pour the syrup on top. You may pour as little or as much as you prefer. Stir and enjoy!

How to store taho:

The best way to store taho is to store each ingredient separately in the fridge overnight, then mix them all together when it is time to serve. Store the sago pearls in some water, or mix in a little bit of syrup.

If the taho is already assembled, it will last up to 2 days in the fridge. The sago pearls may get soggy over time if left too long, so make sure to eat the taho within a day or two of making it.

To reheat taho, we recommend warming the syrup in a small pot on the stove. Then assemble the taho in a serving dish and pour the warmed syrup on top. Stir the mixture together before serving.

Final Thoughts

You won’t be able to resist the sweet creamy taste of this delicious dessert! Enjoy the silken tofu and sago bathed in housemade syrup. Your family will love this recipe for its simplicity as well as its delicious flavors!

If you’re still looking to satisfy your sweet tooth after reading all of that, take a look at our Desserts section here!

We hope you enjoy this recipe! Share your creations on Instagram and tag us @itsforkandspoon!

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References & Further Reading

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douhua

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taho

https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/the-history-of-taho-a00293-20200526#:~:text=The%20word%20taho%20is%20derived,impure%20salt%20to%20the%20concoction.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on August 31, 2022. It has been updated with content and images on July 31, 2023.