One of my favourite memories from childhood in the Philippines is of a warm custard called Tahô — and how, in the early morning, vendors would roam the sleepy streets with two aluminum buckets of it, hung from a pole slung over their shoulders. When I want to comfort my inner child, I make this drink and add my own rum blend. The flavours of brown sugar and molasses from the aged rum really kick up the recipe. Coconut rum amplifies the floral notes of the pandan leaf, and the overproof rum adds heat to an otherwise soft and rounded drink.
Tahô
INGREDIENTS
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) brown sugar
- 1 pandan leaf
- 50 ml (1/4 cup) cooked tapioca pearls
- 50 ml (1/4 cup) soft tofu
- 3/4 oz aged rum
- 1/4 oz coconut rum
- 1 tsp overproof rum
METHOD
Combine sugar and 80 ml (1⁄3 cup) water in a saucepan on medium and stir until sugar dissolves. Add pandan and simmer for 3 minutes. Set aside to cool. Remove leaf, add tapioca, and refrigerate until needed. Transfer tofu to the microwave and heat for 60 seconds. Slice thinly and transfer to a large glass. Top with strained tapioca. In a separate glass, combine rums, stir, and pour over top. Stir.
Cocktail by Patrick Fulgencio. Portrait by Morgan Sangster.
