The Thai noodle dish with pink broth colored by fermented soybean paste is yentafo.
Yentafo is Thailand’s distinctive variation of yong tau foo, a Hakka Chinese dish built around stuffed tofu and other ingredients. In Thailand, the dish is commonly served as a noodle soup containing rice noodles, fish balls, tofu, seafood products, and vegetables. Its vivid pink or reddish broth is its most recognizable feature.
The color and flavor come primarily from fermented bean curd or fermented soybean-based paste. Some modern preparations also use tomato or food coloring, so the shade can range from pale pink to bright red. The broth is usually sweet, tangy, salty, and mildly spicy, with condiments added at the table.
Yentafo is often confused with other Thai noodle dishes because the ingredients vary from vendor to vendor. Boat noodles generally have a dark, intensely seasoned broth; khao soi is a northern curry noodle soup; and rad na is a stir-fried noodle dish covered with gravy. Yentafo’s pink broth is the key identifying clue.