I had a sudden craving for Douhua/Dau Fu Fa - a dessert made with extra soft form of tofu few days ago.
Douhua/Dau Fu Fa – this chinese dessert brings back the good old memory of many years where there was this housewife in her late thirties, riding her old bicycle with a medium-sized wooden bucket at the back rack. Inside the wooden bucket, it was filled with freshly made Douhua/Dau Fu Fa and was still warm to be served. Riding passed each house and calling out “Douhua, Douhua, Douhua, Douhua….” so that to let the residents know it’s time for a dessert break in the afternoon, sit back, relax and enjoy a warm bowl of Douhua/Dau Fu Fa that’s usually served with clear sweet syrup or palm sugar syrup (gula melaka). I like both.
I gathered my mind back for a few seconds and thought how could I have forgotten the quick and easy recipe (or should I say the ‘cheating’ recipe?) that I got through my sister, which was given to her by her Mother-in-law. The original way of preparing this recipe is way too complicated and lengthy. Thus, the simplified recipe appeals to me so much that I can do this anytime and anywhere!
Give this a go if you had the sudden craving for Douhua/Dau Fu Fa! Bon Appetit!
This recipe makes about 8 ramekins. (Note: bowl = size of ramekin of diameter 7.5cm that holds 100ml each)
Ingredients A:
Water, 4.5 bowls (about 450ml)
Agar-agar, 8gm
Ingredients B:
Soya milk, 5 bowls (about 500ml)
Evaporated milk, 170gm
Ingredient C: (for serving)
Clear sweet syrup or palm sugar syrup.
Method:
1. Use two saucepans to slowly bring ingredients A and B to the boil.
2. Mixture A is considered ready when the agar-agar dissolves in the water.
3. Strain and mix A & B into a big bowl.
4. Scoop the mixture into ramekins.
5. Leave them for about 20-25 mins to set.
6. Serve with clear sweet syrup or palm sugar syrup (recommended).
By the way, Dou Hua/Dau Fu Fa can be served slightly chilled or warm 
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July 3rd, 2007 at 7:20 pm
I LOVE LOVE LOVE dou fu fa! I order it every single time at dim sum for dessert.
July 5th, 2007 at 8:21 am
i dont have to make my own cos i can get it easily here.
just wanna share this. i like the ones with ginger syrup too.
July 5th, 2007 at 10:18 am
I have never tried it with ginger syrup! Should be nice
Over here, guess I can only get it at dim sum.
April 28th, 2008 at 1:03 am
what if i do not want to make 8 bowls worth of douhua?
maybe just 1/2 the amount…do i divide the #’s that u gave for the ingredients?
April 29th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
sheri,
Yup. Just divide into half if you want to make only half the recipe.
June 17th, 2008 at 5:31 am
i was wondering wat other kind of gelatin i can use to make it
June 19th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I used this kind: http://www.wingyipstore.co.uk/pictures/content1310/agar agar.jpg
I am not sure if the gelatin powder would give the same texture.
June 20th, 2008 at 6:11 am
thank u
July 21st, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Agar is vegetable based gelatin instead of animal based like regular gelatin.
Ginger sauce is awesome, just dropped semi-crushed ginger chunks into the simple sauce and simmer until it’s infused…voila
July 21st, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Jle,
Thanks for dropping by. And your input on the ginger sauce. I have yet tried that but the next time I make this, I sure will.
December 4th, 2008 at 3:41 am
This is the easiest and tastiest dou hua recipe I have seen! U save my days! Hahaha!
December 4th, 2008 at 9:27 am
lk,
It definitely is! Even though, it doesn’t assemble 100% of the normal douhua texture, but this will do for me
April 29th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Always wanted to know how to make this. Just wanted to check – is this the same time of agar agar you have in your recipe?
http://shop.waiyeehong.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3205
April 29th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Sam,
Yes – that agar agar will do!
May 1st, 2009 at 2:14 pm
thanks! I can’t wait to give this recipe a go! I’ve always loved dau fu fa and your recipe looks so simple!
May 1st, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Sam,
No worries! I love dau fu fa too.. and I am glad to learn this recipe that I can make at home!!
July 14th, 2009 at 11:43 am
What kind of bowl to use? Medium sized ones?
July 14th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Sash,
Thanks for dropping by. Use ramekins (size=7.5cm) would be the best.
August 20th, 2009 at 1:52 am
What kind of soymilk do you use? Is it the sweetened kind you can buy from Chinese markets or the soymilk brand you can find in any regular market?
August 20th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Hello CatKool,
I use the normal soymilk (non-sweetened) that you can find at any supermarket. I wouldn't recommend the sweetened one as with the syrup, it might be too sweet.
February 18th, 2010 at 10:45 am
I made my own soy milk at home today, and can't wait to use it to make douhua. Thanks for sharing the recipe for douhua
February 20th, 2010 at 9:40 am
That's cool! I want to try making soya milk at home too!
March 20th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Hi. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I’m from Vietnam but currently living in Australia. I’m love with this dessert, it’s a part of my childhood. So interesting to discover that Malaysia used to have douhua sellers riding bicycles pass the streets with two wooden buckets of douhua, coz it was the same in Vietnam 10 years ago. Now we can only have douhua at home or at the restaurant. Btw, we prefer cool douhua and often add coconut milk to make it runny and tasty.
March 22nd, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Hi Trang,
Thanks for dropping by!
Yeah, when I was a kid, I remember the lady cycling passed my house almost every afternoon selling douhua. I am not sure if it still exists now..
I love cool douhua too, with syrup.. yum… Never tasted with coconut milk.. was it just coconut milk?
August 4th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Hi, I was wondering how many cc/ml is 1 bowl? You said, that bowl = size of ramekin, but surely there are various sizes of ramekin´s too
I would love to try this recipe, it looks so quick, easy and yummy, but I´m really lost with this "bowls" … 
August 4th, 2010 at 9:10 pm
Hi Dasha,
I use the ramekin with 7.5cm in diameter and it holds 100ml per ramekin. So sorry for the confusion, I will update the recipe accordingly!
Happy trying and let me know!
August 8th, 2010 at 8:46 pm
Thank you! It turned out too firm.. I added too much agar:( but overall it wasn't bad. Suprisingly, even my father, who usually is willing to touch tofu only with meter long stick, ate two bowls
August 9th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Oh.. maybe just cut down a bit of agar agar next time when you make it.
I am glad that even your dad loves it