(First time I’ve tried making a video so forgive me for mediocre editing skills.)
I’ve been bad, really bad at blogging as I’ve been behind with lots of posts. Like with this taho trial, this is now my second attempt and the first trial I haven’t posted here tsk tsk! This time, I used Gypsum or Calcium Sulfate or Plaster of Paris. Don’t worry, it is safe as you only eat a small amount of it with every bowl of this heavenly dessert. The first trial I did made use of GDL or Gluco Delta Lactone. It is what they say is healthier as it is naturally found in fruits. So now that I’ve tried both, I can better compare two taho using GDL and Gypsum.
By the way, I’ve tried searching for “How to make homemade taho” but I did not find any. Well there’s one, but purely instructions and no way to know if that recipe is reliable or not. I wanted one with photos so it’s easier to follow and I’ll know what to expect visually as if you are doing it yourself. So now, I’m doing it. It’s a bit of a challenge to take pictures and trying not to mess it up but the taho/ tau huay we ate tasted and looked exactly like taho so I definitely succeeded again.
I can proudly say I have successfully made taho using both lactone and gypsum. Oh yes!
Here’s my recipe:
200 grams of soy beans (pre-soaked overnight)
1 liter of water
3/4 tsp of gypsum/calcium sulfate EDIT: Or use 1/2 tsp of lactone/GDL instead of gypsum
60 ml. of water
For the Brown Sugar Syrup/Arnibal: Mix 1 part brown sugar and 1 part water and mix well . Bring to boil. (Use the darkest brown/black sugar you can find.)
Skinned and washed beans, 60 ml water to dilute the 3/4tsp gypsum in, 1 liter of water and sago (tapioca pearls).
Difference of soaked beans overnight and unsoaked beans.
Step 1. After soaking the beans over night, gently rub the soy beans with your fingers to remove the ‘skin’. Then wash the beans.
Step2. Put half of the beans and water into the blender. So two batches. (If you have a bigger blender than ours, then go ahead blend all the soy beans and 1 liter of water at once.)
Pulse first. Important to do so since soy beans is one of the hardest beans there is. This is why we soak the beans overnight too, to soften it up.
Continue until well blended.
Step 3. Transfer to a cheesecloth to strain.
Then do the same with the second batch left.
Then squeeze until you get all the milk. (This is a workout in itself.) 
Discard the white flesh(?) left in the strainer.
Then strain again in another container, total of 3 times.
Step 4. Transfer to a stock pot and boil in medium high heat. Stir once in awhile to prevent from overflowing. Once it boils, simmer for 10 minutes. Be careful with this part, you might burn your skin with overflowing soy milk.
Boiling soy milk rises quickly, be careful to prevent overflowing. Just stir quickly or lower the heat.
Step 5. After boiling, strain once more. Now you have soy milk. Set aside.
Step 6. Dilute the gypsum in 60 ml of water. Make sure it’s well diluted.
Step 7. In a rice cooker or any pot like clay pot that retains heat well, pour the gypsum-water mixture and soy milk from a height of 1 1/2 feet. This is to make sure that the gypsum and soy milk are diluted well. You CANNOT mix this at this point. Then cover with a hand towel then cover and set it aside and NEVER PEEK for 45 minutes.
Now you have your own homemade taho! I hope you have your sago or tapioca pearls and brown sugar syrup. I made mine using the darkest brown sugar I found, it’s so dark it’s almost black and it’s called negra. My fussy mom with high standards likes my taho! I’m so happy.
The first time using GDL was successful too. I like that one too and using GDL is more forgiving with texture if you put a bit more GDL but it will taste a bit sour. With gypsum it has no taste but you have to make sure your soy beans and water ratio is correct, if not then you’ll have watery taho or if you put more then it will curdle. With GDL, the taho/tau huay/ tau fufa is more gelatine like and flatter, with gypsum it’s more springy(?) and like a flan. I hope I’m making sense. So which I prefer? Hmmmn, I can’t choose I like them both. I like that I have them both in our kitchen though. I can just use whichever I prefer.
I bought my GDL or lactone in Phoon Huat in Singapore and it was S$1+.. I don’t remember anymore. The gypsum I was able to find in a bakery store in Bacoor after searching for it here (Philippines) for years and it was only PHp 28.00 per 500 grams so gypsum is cheaper and you only use 3/4 teaspoon per recipe. No wonder taho vendors get rich. Maybe I should make this into a business. Hmmmn…… But I should use GDL for people who love taho but is not comfortable using gypsum/ plaster of paris (even though it is safe).
Now start doing this ‘experiment’. It is very rewarding knowing you can make this at home. It was not an easy feat for me as information is not readily available and I had to make a lot of research for this. Oooh! I’m thinking of another business. Taho making kit! LOL!
EDIT: 15 July 2011
I made another batch of taho and it just gets easier and easier as you get more familiar with it. Oh and this time around, after pouring that gypsum-water solution and the soy milk, I quickly removed the foam on top and immediately placed the towel and closed it. The result is smooth top and you don’t have to throw away the foam once it’s set. I’ll make another batch on Sunday and this time I’ll try a different soy beans-gypsum ratio.
