Salabat is hot ginger tea made by boiling crushed ginger in water. Brown sugar or honey is used to sweeten the beverage. Kamote (sweet potato), sago, or carabao’s milk are added by some to salabat.
Salabat is found to have healing properties and is used to ease cold symptoms and stomach aches. It soothes sore throats and is said to sweeten the singing voice.
Salabat tea is now available in powdered form for convenience in preparation. It is a favorite drink during the cold season, and is often given drunk during cold nights. The drink is also popular during the Christmas season and is often drunk or served with bibingka (rice cake) and puto bumbong (steamed rice cake) outside churches after Simbang Gabi (Misa de Gallo).
Long live Philippine traditions!
Drinking salabat with puto bumbong? Now I’m really homesick.