Taho is a Filipino snack food made of fresh soft/ silken tofu, arnibal (brown sugar syrup) and sago/ tapioca pearls. This can be found all over the country. It is commonly enjoyed as breakfast food or even a snack. It is eaten either with spoon, straw or just simply drinking it straight from the cup/glass.
A magtataho (taho vendor) is a common sight in the Philippines. They usually prepare their goods early before dawn. It is served every morning or late afternoon. Magtataho vendors carry two large aluminum buckets that hang from each end of a yoke: the larger bucket carries the soft/silken tofu and the other bucket has the sago pearls and the arnibal. The price of taho depends on the size of the cup, but it is usually sold for Php.10.00.
In other parts of the country, Taho has variety of flavors. Pandan flavor, ube flavor, chocolate flavor and strawberry flavor, but nothing beats the original taho.
Every morning, it is common when you hear a loud voice shouting “Taho!… Tahooooooo!… Tahooooooooo!”.
The aroma of the warm and sweet taho topped with sago and lots of arnibal is really mouthwatering. I remember when I was little, I would always ask my mom to buy me taho every morning. This is a sweet treat for children. If you grew up eating this breakfast street food, it will always bring back happy memories of your childhood.
A cup of taho is indeed a cup of happiness…
Benefits of taho:
Taho is rich in vitamins and minerals
• Lunasin- a soy peptid
• Protein- good for muscles and tissues
• Carbohydrates- that gives our body energy for our daily use
• Folic acid- for the brain and it’s good for pregnant women
• Calcium- strengthen our bones and teeth
• Vitamin B1/ Thiamin- it helps converting carbohydrates into energy
• Riboflavin/ Vitamin B
• Zinc
• Phosphorus
• Iron
• Vitamin B4
/// Written by Jahweh Mariel S. Huerta, The Philippines
