This was one of the dishes on the buffet at Tawlet; it is a rural dish from the North; very nourishing, as purslane is supposed to be the most nutritious green ever (even though it is a weed); the US Department of agriculture had plans to encourage its cultivation in every empty lot in America, because of its very high ratio of Omega-3 and good fiber; AKA verdolaga (spanish), or mâche, or pourpier (french).
Just dilute some yogurt in water, add a pinch of mashed garlic, some salt and the purslane; that’s it!
- 1 cup of plain yogurt, full or lowfat
- 1 cup of water
- 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, mashed with some salt
- 1 bunch of purslane, previously washed well (can substitute watercress or any other green) and plucked out (remove the thick stems).
METHOD:
- Mix the yogurt with water and the mashed garlic; add the purslane. Serve or keep refrigerated till serving time.
To read more on the nutritional benefits of purslane, click here.
and here.
52 Comments
I’ve heard of Ayran as street vendors used to sell it here in Greece but I think without the purslane. I haven’t tried it but I’ve posted a tzatziki with purslane and carrots in the past, so the taste must be pretty the same and I remember I liked it.
This looks so refreshing and beautiful and if it manages to be healthy as well, what more could you ask! Thanks for another wonderful recipe.
I’ve never seen purslane before, apparently it is also known as Little Pigweed, Hogweed and Verdolaga.
I’ve never heard of that herb before… That soup looks so refreshing and flavorful!
Cheers,
Rosa
Such a nutritious and refreshing summer soup! I would love to be able to find purslane!
ahh..such an easy, healthy and delicious looking soup..perfect for summer time..lovely pics..liked the serving bowl..looks so cute!
I’ve always seen this vegetable at Mexican markets, but did not know how to use it. I’m so glad you posted this entry. Next time I swing by this market again, I’m going to try your recipe. Looks delicious
What a lovely and unique (to me) dish! It looks so healthy and refreshing!
recette originale, je ne connaissais pas celle là, à testée, merci pour la decouverte, bisou joumana
Wat a beautiful and healthy soup, looks superb..
I have never heard of this herb before. The Soup looks so refreshing!
This is one of my favorite greens! I love the lemony flavors and the tender leaves. Great idea to add to yogurt soup.
Very refreshing on a hot summer day. I love yogurt and garlic.
looks so refreshing for summer
it looks *amazing*. wow, what a gorgeous time you are having in beirut. x shayma
Great idea for summer, and so appropriate on Solstice Day. Cheers!
Jumana when I say hard flour I mean the bread flour. Here in Greece we have three types of flour: all-purpose, soft, hard(bread flour). For example for this one I used the Robin Hood all purpose flour. For us here this is considered to be hard. I make also tsoureki with this one. I do not know if I helped you understand. If not just let me know and I will try to find more information.
Wow, I had no idea of all the health benefits of purslane! I love yogurt soup and this sounds like a delicious, healthy version!
this looks great – I always saute purslane in a little onion garlic and fat but this soup sounds like the right idea to try for something new…thanks
Thank you for the great information! I must try this most nutritious green ever!
Joumana, I forgot to tell you that my hubby loved the garlic mayo! We won’t be buying mayo at the store anymore, lol! Thank you!!
Everything looks so cool and delicious, and most of all healthy.
Do you have any suggestions for a beginner cookbook for someone who wants to learn how to cook middle eastern cuisine?
Thank you.
Melissa
Poised and ready for our table to be eaten, simple clean flavors, cool green and white, slightly crunchy and tangy, purslane protects all your cells in your body. Lebanese diet has healthier balance between omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
I sometimes wonder whey this humble God given gift that keeps on giving is neglected so much, we Armenians use it in everything from eggs to pickles Joumana, you have never let us down with your mouth watering and nutritious recipes.
What I beautiful blog and such delicious recipes, I live in a semi rural part of Sicily in southern Italy and there’s tons of Purslane here, Porcellana in Italian or Puccciddrana in siclian. I love making tangy salads with Purslane, lemon, olive oil and thinly sliced onions. Now I can make this amazing refreshing souo and we make our own yoghurt too. I will look through your blog carefully, I love Lebanese food and cooking, I’m from DC and there’s a wonderful Lebanese restaurant in DC called Lebanese Taverna. The flavours here in Sicily are pretty similar to Lebanese food, but not exactly the same, plus they are not open to different cuisnes so this makes me homesick, good thing I’m going home in a month. Thank you and blessings Dea
Perfect for a hit humid day like today. I never heard of the weed before, hope to try it if I see it here soon!
Purslane has been popping up in my garden ever since the city banned any spraying for weeds. It’s delish and surely heightens this summer refresher,
purslaneu is something new to me – very interesting dish, too!
Growing up in Zahle (LONG time ago), my mother would have the “purslane” or BAKLEH salad almost every other day in the summer: Just pick the little leaves, toss with onions, olive oil (lots of that) and lemon, and sprinkle summac on top.
I now get purslane on a weekly basis in the summer at our local farmer’s market in Chicago…
Never heard abt purslane before but seems like a good one…and soup looks nice & i think best to have this chilled
Such a refreshing soup Joumana. Not sure if I can find purslane here though.
Excuse mon ignorance mais je ne connais pas la purslane, c’est aromatique comme plante? ca ressemble à des petites feuilles de thym. Ca m’a l’air si frais cette soupe, très tentante!
Very interesting post. I’ve never heard of this herb before.
i recently heard about purslane on the dr oz show and have been looking for it..and nothing..oh well hopefully soon they will carry it..i would love to eat a bowl of this..
sweetlife
Never tasted this before but looks yummy! I donno if purslane is what we call “mâche” here.
@Silvia: le purslane est comme la mâche. Il y en a d’ailleurs des centaines de variétés!
@tigerfish: you can eat it with a meal or as a snack; it is very refreshing and light, gets eaten cold.
What a gorgeous and refreshing looking soup! I’ve never tried purslane, but this would be the ideal way to try it
What do you eat that with? I cannot find purslane but I was thinking to replace it with watercress.
I have never heart this soup. I do not know we can make a soup with purslane and yogurt yet.
Now that thanks to you I can adapt yet another new ingredient…I will probably end up adding it to a great big salad first…and then maybe the soup ;o)
Flavourful wishes, Claudia
I never knew mache and purslane were the same thing! This soup looks so refreshing…the yogurt would definitely cool me off.
Oh this would be such a great soup right now, in the summer. So cool and refreshing. It’s so easy, too!
I’ve never heard of purslane. Does it taste peppery like watercress?
Elle doit etre très bonne et bien fraiche cette soupe!!
I had purslane for the first time last year at Chez Panisse in Berkeley CA and had no idea what it was… then found it at The Market at The Ferry Building… so saw the bigger “bunches” , but what does it taste like? I truly forget. i remember being completely charmed by how it looked and by the thick succulent typ of leaves. But, what is the taste?
Valerie
What a great weed! I’ll keep my open for purslane, as I’ve been thinking I need to make more yogurt and cold soups as the heat keeps getting worse here.
Thanks Joumana
Wow, what a refreshing soup recipe! Looks scrumptious!
This herb is new for me. But the use of yogurt and some greens reminds me of Indian Raita.
purslane. must find. i love a good yogurt sauce, and this seems to be just that.
This looks absolutely amazing.Thanks for sharing.
Ha! I know the French name, but did not know the English name (and I speak English!). Thanks for teaching me something new today!
LL
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[...] the Lebanese kitchen it is used for fattoush salad; for a yogurt and purslane salad (so refreshing in the heat); and as a stuffing in fatayers or bread [...]