Sakurab facts for kids

Sakurab with its leaves cut

Sakurab is a special plant that looks a lot like a scallion or a wild leek. Scientists are still studying if it's a type of scallion or a white version of a wild leek. People in the Philippines have used Sakurab for a long time. It's a traditional food seasoning, especially on the islands of Mindanao and the Visayas. There, it's often called sibujing.

What is Sakurab?

Sakurab looks very similar to a scallion. It has a small bulb at its bottom, a white stem, and green leaves that spread out like a fan. It also has a strong smell and taste, much like a shallot.

This plant grows naturally in the Ranao provinces of Mindanao in the Philippines. You can find it most often in towns and cities around Lake Lanao. Maranao merchants sell Sakurab in places where it's wanted but doesn't grow easily.

How is Sakurab Used in Food?

An example of wet palapa, made with coconut milk

The most common way to use Sakurab is in a popular Maranao sauce called palapa. For this sauce, the whole Sakurab plant is used. It's mixed with chili peppers, garlic, salt, and ginger. Sometimes, coconut flakes are added for dry palapa, or coconut milk for wet palapa.

You can eat Sakurab raw as a side dish. It can also be an ingredient in other meals, like piaparan. The taste of Sakurab is like scallions and shallots, but it's much richer. Just half of one Sakurab stem is usually enough to replace a whole scallion in a recipe.

Scientists have found that Sakurab has more sugar than other similar plants. A special test showed it has about three times more sugar. This makes it a good plant to mix with fruit juices. When mixed with juices, it's easier to get the healthy benefits of the plant. Many people liked the taste and smell when Sakurab was mixed with apple juice. When mixed with lemon juice, people liked its color and how it felt to eat.