Typical Singapore Chinese Dessert

Food in Singapore is seen as one of the aspects that characterize the national identity and unifies the culture of the country. Eating in Singapore has become a national pastime, people of different ethnicity often end up eating together, despite being aware of each other's cultures, choosing food acceptable to all. thus the food becomes a frequent topic of conversation, Muslims do not eat pork and Hindus do not eat beef, and there are also many vegetarian options. Restaurants must adapt to these cultural differences, for example, there are Chinese restaurants that serve halal cake.

A typical Chinese baked food that has become very popular in Singapore is the Tau huay, in China called Dòuhuā (Chinese: 豆花) or dòufuhuā (Chinese: 豆腐花). It is made with very soft tofu. It is also known as tofu pudding. In China, douhua is served with soy sauce. But it is a common dessert alla round Asia with its peculiarities depending on the region, it is served in different ways with numerous condiments.

For exemple in Sichuan is made without sugar, then served with some condiments such as chili oil, soy sauce, Sichuan pepper, scallions, and nuts, and  it is eaten with white rice as well. However In Hubei, Douhua is served only with sugar. In Taiwanese cuisine, douhua is served with sweet seasonings such as cooked peanuts, adzuki beans, cooked oatmeal, tapioca, mung beans, and a syrup flavored with ginger or almond. During the summer it is served with ice and in the winter it is served warm. In Cantonese cuisine it is prepared with ginger or syrup, and sometimes with a mix of black sesame paste or with coconut milk. In the Philippines it is known as taho and sold by hawkers in the mornings. It is served warm with brown syrup and sago or tapioca balls. In the Indonesia it is known as Wedang Tahu (Wedang means hot water with ginger, Tahu means tofu) and usually sold by hawkers. In Thailand It is usually served cold with milk and some fruits, or served hot with ginger syrup.In Vietnam it varies in the three regions: in the North, it is served with sugar and jasmine. It is prepared warm in winter and cold with ice in summer. In the Middle, it is cooked with spicy ginger, with or without sugar. In the South, it is served warm with ginger and coconut water, ginger is optional and pieces are harder than those in the North and the Middle.

In Singapore it is  known by its names tow huay or tau huay in Min Nan, or by the Cantonese name (tau fa) with the Cantonese variation being more common in Malaysia, in fact it is almost exclusively known as tau fa there while tau huey is generally associated with Singapore. In Penang, the common term is tau hua due to the local Chinese dialect. It is usually prepared with sweet syrup or with ginkgo seeds suspended in the syrup, or in a sugar syrup infused with pandan. In Malaysia, however, the most popular cake is served with hot and sweet ginger, as it is believed to contain medicinal properties.