Destination
Hong Kong
The story
Dau fu fa ("tofu flower") is Hong Kong's most-loved traditional sweet: silken tofu, still warm from being set, spooned in delicate curds into a bowl and doused in either a light sweet ginger syrup or a dark panela-and-ginger syrup depending on the vendor. Sold from wooden carts in Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po and Wan Chai by uncles who've been doing it for 40 years, from small dai pai dong stalls, and from traditional dessert shops (tong sui). Eaten hot in winter, cold in summer; equally satisfying either way.
Method
Bruise the sliced ginger with the flat of a knife. Combine with the panela, water and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the panela dissolves. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until fragrant and slightly reduced. Strain out the ginger (or leave in for a stronger flavour).
For hot dau fu fa: fill a wide pan with 500ml water and bring to a low simmer. Place the tofu block (still in its packaging) in the water and warm for 8 to 10 minutes until heated through. Lift out and drain the packaging liquid.
For cold dau fu fa: keep the tofu in the fridge, then unwrap and set on a plate. Chill the syrup fully in the fridge.
Using a wide flat spoon, scoop the tofu in shallow, delicate scoops into serving bowls (each scoop should be about 2 to 3 tablespoons and reveal the silken curd texture; don't just plop the block in whole).
Drench each bowl generously with the ginger syrup (about 4 to 5 tablespoons per serving). Scatter with optional garnishes: shredded ginger, sesame seeds or a spoon of red bean.
Tips
- Buy good silken tofu. This is essentially the whole game. A quality Japanese or Chinese silken tofu (soft, unpressed, sold in a plastic tub) gives you the correct texture. Firm or pressed tofu is a completely different dish.
- Warm gently in the packaging. The tofu doesn't need to boil; a gentle 8-to-10-minute warm bath (still in its plastic tub, in a pan of simmering water) heats it through without breaking the delicate curds.
- Scoop in flat, shallow slices. Use a wide flat spoon (like a shallow soup spoon) to scoop the tofu in delicate slices; don't just tip the block into the bowl. The flower-like silky texture is the whole point.
- Panela ginger syrup is traditional. The molasses depth of panela (or dark muscovado) gives the syrup its classic caramel-warm note. White sugar tastes flat here.
- Hot for winter, cold for summer. Both are correct. Hong Kong dessert shops shift the same recipe between hot and chilled depending on the season and the humidity.
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