Gabi (Taro) is a root crop that is a popular ingredient usually served as a part of vegetable dishes in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia. So it was a pleasant surprise to see it served on its own as a sweet snack in Mati, Davao Oriental.  The Gabi used was also the purplish variety unlike the common white flesh.

Intrigued by the snack, I asked a cook in Mati how to prepare it.  She said, Gabi is peeled, sliced, boiled in coconut milk and when the coconut milk turns sticky, you remove it from the pan and arrange it on a plate then pour the sticky coconut milk.

Served in coconut shells (bao) in a bed of banana leaves made it more appealing.  True enough, it was a treat to try Gabi as a sweet organic snack.  Curiosity and tummy satisfied :)