Pick over and wash 1 bunch of purslane, then leave it in a colander to drain. Once drained, chop it up.
Into a bowl, julienne 1 onion. Add 1 dessert spoon (about 2 tsp) of salt and rub it in well with your hands. After rubbing, rinse the onion (to remove the salt) and squeeze out the excess water.
Add the chopped purslane to a salad bowl. Add the prepared onion on top. Peel and dice 1 tomato and add it on top as well. Pour in half a tea glass (about 50 ml / 3 tbsp + 1 tsp) of olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon. Sprinkle half a dessert spoon (about 1 tsp) of salt. Toss all the ingredients together thoroughly. Transfer the prepared purslane salad to a serving plate.
Crumble 100 g of white cheese on top and serve. Enjoy your meal...

Tips & Tricks

To prevent your salad from becoming watery, add the dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, and salt just before serving and toss immediately.
Using a firm and salty white cheese to enrich the flavor of your salad creates a wonderful harmony with the slightly bitter taste of purslane — and it tones down the bitterness beautifully.

About This Recipe

Purslane is known to originate from the Middle East and is widely cultivated in India. This plant, which prefers mildly humid and warm climates, is most commonly grown in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions of Turkey. It does not require a special cultivation strategy and can grow in virtually any type of soil, though sandy and clay-rich soils allow for easier yields. However, if it is to be cultivated regularly, it must be tended to carefully and harvested frequently and abundantly. Once it reaches an edible size, it should be picked without delay — doing so will actually encourage the purslane to grow even more prolifically. It can be grown in large gardens as well as in pots. Additionally, it thrives best in locations where the temperature is around 15°C (59°F). Once its weekly watering needs are met, you will notice that purslane branches out into many stems in a very short time. And the higher the quality and organic content of your soil, the more nutritious your purslane will be.

Today we have prepared a Purslane Salad (Semizotu Salatası) for you, every bit as wholesome as our Green Lentil and Spinach Salad recipe. Enjoy the cooking...