Purslane Stew (Tömeken Dish)

Ingredients (Serves 8)

• 1 kg purslane

• 3 medium onions

• 4 medium tomatoes

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 tablespoons red pepper powder

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1 tea glass vegetable oil (approx. 100 ml)

• 1 small cup rice

• Lemon juice and salt

Preparation

1. Pre-Preparation

• Break the purslane into pieces about 5 cm long and wash thoroughly.

• Important: Do not chop the purslane with a knife; break it by hand.

2. Cooking

• Sauté finely chopped onions in vegetable oil.

• Add grated tomatoes to the sautéed onions and stir for 2–3 minutes.

• Then add tomato paste, red pepper powder, garlic, and purslane. Continue sautéing for about 10 minutes.

  

• Add enough water so that it does not exceed the level of the purslane.

• Once the water starts boiling, add the washed rice.

3. Serving

• When the rice becomes tender, serve the dish with freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Tips

• Using Ground Meat: Ground beef can be added if desired. If using, sauté the meat before adding the onions.

• Cutting Method: To preserve both nutritional value and flavor, always break the purslane by hand instead of cutting it with a knife.