Patongo & Nam Tao Hu
ปาท่องโก๋ & น้ำเต้าหู้·(pa-tong-go & nam-tao-hu)
Thai Morning Comfort & The Healing Pot
If you grew up in a Thai-American household, Saturday mornings smelled like this. Internet recipes will send you chasing harsh chemicals like baking ammonia to get the perfect crust, but talk to the aunties in Thailand and you learn two massive secrets. Real home-style Patongo relies on a highly hydrated yeast dough that requires absolutely no kneading, while the luxurious, creamy depth of the soy milk comes from a handful of roasted peanuts. Spend fifteen minutes prepping on a Friday night, and wake up to the exact smells and tastes of the homeland.
Before you start
Rinse and soak the soybeans.
Place the soybeans in a bowl, fill with cool water, and massage them with your hands. Drain and repeat three times to aggressively wash away the enzymes that cause a raw, beany flavor, then cover with 2 inches of fresh water and soak overnight.
Mix the no-knead dough.
Whisk the flour, yeast, baking powder, baking soda, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt together. Make a well, pour in the warm water and 1 tablespoon oil, and gently stir until no dry streaks remain—do not knead, just let it be sticky and shaggy. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Ingredients
- dried yellow soybeans1 1/2 cup
- unsalted dry-roasted peanuts1 cup
- filtered water10 1/2 cup
- fresh or frozen pandan leaves6 large
- granulated sugar1/2 cup
- fine sea salt1/2 tsp
- all-purpose flour2 1/2 cup
- instant dry yeast1 tsp
- baking powder1 tsp
- baking soda1/2 tsp
- granulated sugar1 1/2 tbsp
- fine sea salt1 tsp
- warm water3/4 cup
- neutral oil1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Extract the peanut-enriched soy milk.
Drain and rinse the soaked soybeans one final time, then blend on high for 2 minutes with the peanuts and half the filtered water until frothy. Squeeze the puree through a double-layer of cheesecloth or a nut-milk bag into a heavy-bottomed pot, re-blending the leftover pulp with the remaining water and squeezing again for maximum yield.
- 02
Simmer the milk with pandan.
Set the pot over medium-low heat and drop in the knotted pandan leaves. Stir continuously, scraping the bottom to prevent the high-protein milk from scorching. Once simmering, lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes to eliminate any raw bean flavor, then remove from heat, stir in the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cover to keep warm.
- 03
Portion the rested dough.
Turn the bubbly, doubled dough onto a heavily floured surface. Dust the top with flour and gently pat it into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle without crushing the air bubbles, then cut vertically into 3/4-inch wide strips.
- 04
Apply the water glue.
Dip a wooden skewer or chopstick in water and press it firmly down the center of one dough strip. Place a second strip on top and press down with the dry end of the chopstick to fuse the centers.
- 05
Fry to golden perfection.
Heat 2 inches of neutral oil to 350°F. Carefully drop the paired dough strips into the oil, 3 or 4 at a time, and use chopsticks to constantly roll and flip them during the first 30 seconds to ensure even expansion. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes until deeply golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack.
- 06
Serve piping hot.
Serve the Patongo alongside deep bowls of the warm, fragrant Nam Tao Hu, dipping the crispy dough into the sweet, peanut-rich milk.
Notes
Equipment check.
You will need a standard blender and a fine mesh strainer lined with a double-layer of cheesecloth, or a dedicated nut-milk bag, to properly extract the soy milk.
Don't skip the constant stirring.
The continuous rolling of the dough in the hot oil during the first 30 seconds of frying is what forces it to expand and create the signature hollow, airy interior.
From Cook Thai in America.