Tauhu Bola (Tofu Balls) - Gluten Balls

There's always something interesting to be found in that little supermarket I frequent.
 

Tofu Balls of Crispy Lightness

These fried tofu balls are cute, aren't they? It caught my attention because it looked like a huge necklace. That's not a good reason to buy it, I know. But I did and got myself something new to try. I figured I could get some help from the internet.

Google..google....huh? Google wasn't giving me the 'tofu balls' I wanted. I couldn't find anything. I asked a friend instead and went by trial and error. 

How it's like - very light and crisp...very good for juggling too (no, don't do that..). It softens instantly in boiling water but remain crisp under cold water (I tested only minutes). What kind of soft? Something pleasantly flat and spongy but not difficult to tear.

It's a little oily. I would soak it in hot water for awhile and drain off or squeeze off excess oil.

Fried Tofu Balls - The insides are as crispy

After breaking the balls in half, I decided to fill it with a mixture of pork stuffing. I left it to simmer (stuffing facing upwards) without ever turning it over until the meat is cooked. That worked well for me considering how squishy soft this tofu was.

I also threw in some plain pieces into the same wok, swirling it around. It was done in minutes. On it's own, it is plain tasting. With gravy, yum!

To conclude, I find this tofu great in soupy or gravy dishes (steamed, simmered, braised). Until I explore further...

Updated 23rd Jan 2014:
A note from a dear friend.

This "Tauhu Bola" is called 'mean kan' (spoken in Cantonese). This is made from wheat flour (tepung gandum). It goes through a tedious process of kneading the flour under running tap water whereby all the flour content is washed off and what is left is a tangy and very elastic residue. Small 'balls' of this residue are then deep fried - the result is "Tauhu Bola" ~ Sue P.

In short, these are gluten balls. Tofu ball is a direct translation from the word "tauhu bola" (Malay) which is the product description on the packet I purchased.