This wild warm weather succulent is a foraged annual that is used all over the world in some culinary or medicinal form.  It is super rich in vitamins C and E and also contains significant amounts of iron, magnesium, manganese, and potassium.

The most common way to use it is to add it to salads for its crunch and vibrant color. You can make amazing fresh chutneys and pesto with it as well.

In Kashmir, Nunar (Purslane) is cooked in households in simple stir fry dishes. I was introduced to this recipe by a delightful young Kashmiri girl who runs the kitchen in our home in Srinagar. When I spent a couple of weeks there this summer, I was enchanted with her style of cooking, she did not associate herself with the phrase “authentic cooking” which I absolutely loved. She would use the ingredients that were on hand rather than follow a recipe. This recipe is Feroza’s, simple and delightful.

I have used very little oil here as that is how I cook. You are welcome to use a little more oil which will fry the leaves nicely and add to the flavor.

Please watch the video below for the step-by-step visual.

Feroza’s Nunar recipe:

Ingredients

A bunch of picked and sorted purslane ( leaves and soft stems)

1 tbsp mustard oil

2 tomatoes chopped or several cherry tomatoes

3 cloves of garlic chopped

1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp black pepper ground

1 tsp of salt approx

Directions

Heat the mustard oil until it smokes and then turn down the heat

Add garlic cloves and then the purslane

Stir fry until it wilts. Add some salt and continue frying for a minute.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften

Add the spices and cook for a couple of mins

Turn down the heat to low and cover and simmer for 5 mins

Adjust seasoning and it’s ready to eat with rice or roti.