Purslane

Purslane is a low, spreading annual plant with smooth reddish stems and small, thick, paddle-shaped leaves. It grows close to the ground, rarely rising more than a hand's width, and spreads outward in a loose mat.

It grows readily in warm weather across West and Central Asia, the Mediterranean, and much of the Americas, often appearing on its own in gardens, field edges, and courtyards. Both the leaves and the tender stems are eaten.

In Persian kitchens the leaves are used fresh in salads and yoghurt dishes, and cooked into soups and stews such as ash. The raw leaf is crisp, slightly mucilaginous, and mildly sour. It is sold in bunches at produce markets in late spring and summer.