Pirpirim Asçi, Purslane Soup

Purslane as a soup! well here it is and this is one of the famous dishes of this region.  

• !/2 cup brown lentils
• !/2 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 cup bulgur
• 250gr purslane
• 1 onion
• 1 red capsicum/sweet pepper, finely chopped
• 2 tbs sweet pepper paste/tomato paste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1tbs dried mint
• 1tsp chilli powder or sweet paprika
• lemon juice
• salt
• oil
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• Finely chop the onion and using some oil sautee.  Add in the lentils and bulgur and stir.  Pour in 4 cups of water and cook until the lentils are soft.  Add in the cooked chickpeas and tomato paste stir through well and cook for a couple of minutes.  Add in the finely chopped red capscium and continue to cook.  When the capscium is soft and in the chopped purslane.  Let that cook for a further 3 minutes then turn off the heat.  Add in the lemon juice and salt(to taste). Add in more water if needed and taste. 
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• In a small saucepan add some oil and fry the minced garlic for a couple of minutes then add in the mint and chilli powder, fry for a further minute or two.  Pour the sauce ontop of the soup.

• http://verygoodrecipes.com/turkish

Semizotu, Soğluk, Pirpirim or Purslane

Purslane at the Bazaar

Semizotu, Soğluk and Pirpirim are the names given to Purslane.  Why there are 3 names for the same weed in the same country beats me.  I was confused when I ate a semizotu salad and it resembled soğluk, I asked the hostess and she said no no its semizotu.  Depending on where you come from depends on the name you know it by.  


I first ate this when my mother in law came back from her garden with a few handfuls of it.  She waved it in my face and said yemek, yemek (food, food). I wasnt so keen on it then but after making it myself and tweeking her recipe it is one of my favourites.


There are 2 simple salads that are both equally delicous and easy to prepare.  Also both are great for the Meze table.

Purslane yogurt salad 


500gr purslane
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt
500gr yogurt
1tbsp dried mint


Chop the purslane up very finely and place into a bowl.  Add in the yogurt and rest of the ingredients and beat well until everything is mixed in.  Place onto serving dish and serve.

Purslane with olive oil

500gr of purslane

3 cloves garlic, minced

salt

olive oil

1 lemon

Finely chop the purslane and place into a bowl.  Add in the minced garlic, pinch of salt and the juice of half a lemon or full lemon, depending on your taste.  Stir very well and kind of mash it at the same time or use your washed hands and mix and squeeze at the same time.  Splash in a bit of olive oil and serve.