Name: Purslane Dish (Pırpırım Aşı)
Yield: Serves 10 people
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (3 grams) dried mint; 1 tablespoon (2 grams) crushed red pepper flakes; 3 to 4 cloves (15 to 20 grams) garlic (to taste), crushed with a pinch of salt; 5 tablespoons (70 grams) olive oil, butter or a combination of both; 1 onion (220 grams), finely chopped; 1 sweet red pepper, cut in 1-cm cubes; 3 tablespoons (15 milliliters) olive oil; ½ cup black or green lentils, boiled; 2 tomatoes (500 grams total), peeled and cubed; 1 tablespoon (25 grams) pepper paste; 1 tablespoon (15 grams) tomato paste; ½ teaspoon (1 gram) freshly ground black pepper; ½ cup chickpeas, boiled; ½ cup black-eyed peas, boiled; 1 tablespoon (20 grams) pomegranate molasses (may substitute 2 tablespoons lemon juice mixed with ½ teaspoon sugar); 1 tablespoon (15 grams) salt; 6 cups (1½ liters) hot water, plus more as needed; ⅓ cup (70 grams) coarse bulgur; 4 cups purslane, chopped

Preparation info

Serves
10
people

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Cuisine of Life

By Center for International Private Enterprise

Published 2019

About

Due to its short shelf-life, purslane used to be dried during the summer and kept in fabric bags to be cooked during the winter. Now that it’s more frequently available, this dish can be made with fresh purslane throughout the year. Purslane also happens to be very good for you, as it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids.

If purslane is not available, use spinach or Swiss chard. You can also use canned or dried tomatoes in place of fresh.

Serve with pita bread, homemade pickles, an