Salabat, salabat!

CEBU, Philippines - As the rains have started and, thus, the temperatures go down - especially at night - the thick blankets are now back in use. The blankets, though, do only at sleep time. And people don't go straight to sleep as soon as the sun sets. 

There's still dinner an hour or so into the night. With some, there's also the evening news on TV to wait for. Others would not miss their favorite nighttime 'teleserye'. These night routines would now need some kind of body-warmer to sustain. And, for the purpose, "salabat" quickly comes to mind.

Salabat is ginger tea drink that's especially popular in the Philippines during the cool months of September through December. It's a most common hot drink to pair with the specialty snacks after the Christmas midnight masses.  But even outside of Christmas, salabat is a convenient drink, hot or cold.

The drink, taken hot, is a known home remedy for sore throat and many other ailments. Either hot or cold, salabat is effective in warming the body. And the drink is so easy to prepare: 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup fresh ginger, thinly sliced or pounded

• 5 cups water

• ½ cup brown sugar

Procedure:

1. Boil ginger in 5 cups of water with ½ cup of brown sugar for 10 minutes.

2. Serve hot.

NOTE: The amount of ginger and sugar to be used depends on the preferred strength and sweetness of the salabat. Leftover salabat may be put in a covered container and stored in the fridge, for a refreshing cold drink at a later time. (FREEMAN)