When I was 7 or 8 years old, purslane was introduced to me as one of the cousins of spinach, namely its aunt's daughter. Since I loved spinach very much, my parents introduced every other green leaf to me as a member of extended spinach family. Purslane grew on me in time, and ascended to the throne of spinach. During my dad's futile trials of having a lawn, one batch of grass seeds came mixed with purslane seeds! We never had a lawn, but we had delicious purslane for many summers. In Turkish cuisine we use purslane raw in salads or cook them just like spinach. It has a sweet and sour delicious taste.
You can find purslane--it's also called verdolaga--at Mexican or Latin American markets here in the States or in your yard.
purslane, washed and leaves picked
yogurt, enough to cover purlane leaves
as much garlic as you want, minced
salt
optional
crushed red pepper flakes
olive oil, a couple of drops
-Mix yogurt, salt, and garlic in a bowl.
-Add purslane to this mixture.
