Purslane, Portulaca Oleracea, is an edible succulent that spreads vigorously. The leaves are crunchy with a tangy lemon-peppery flavour. It pops up from late Spring through to Autumn. It is prolific in my garden, and I pull the whole plants out when young, nip off the root and use the stem and leaves. For larger plants, stems are picked and leaves removed. You should always wash it really well as it is such a ground-hugging plant.
Pick them early in the day for best flavours. If I need to pick them later in the day, I will cover them in water for an hour or so until they perk up and lift their heads. Don’t soak any longer, they turn to mush (being a succulent).
In some countries you can buy Purslane in green groceries but in Australia that is not the case. You can forage alongside footpaths and in parks/ green areas, but always be careful that it has not been sprayed. The best way is to purchase some seed, or gather it from flowering foraged plants, and grow in your own garden. Once you have planted it in your garden you will always have it. It grows best in warm to hot, dry climates.
To store purslane pop in a plastic bag right after picking and put it straight in to the refrigerator or a cooler bag. It will keep fresh for a week. Don’t wash it until just before you are ready to eat.
It is used around the world eg Greece, Mexico, South Africa, India & Turkey. It is a nutritional medicine cabinet with remarkable amounts of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. It is mainly used raw but is also cooked in some places, eg India.
It is used in salads and can be used to replace other sour or lemony ingredients such as sorrel in salads and other dishes.
It is great in smoothies and home made juices. Add to your herbal teas, toss with pasta, add to sandwiches and wraps, use as a garnish for any dish, add to salsas and toss into Pudla mixes.
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