A low, succulent green with thick oval leaves — mildly tart, faintly slippery, and startlingly refreshing. It is the green that makes a fattoush taste like a fattoush. And across much of North America it grows as a weed, which means a great many people have pulled it out of a garden without knowing what it was.
Also known as purslane · bakleh · rijleh · farfahina · pigweed
- Arabicبقلةbaqleh
- Arabic nameبقلة — baqleh; also رجلة — rijleh
- EnglishPurslane
- Looks likeLow sprawling stems, thick fleshy oval leaves, tiny yellow flowers
- TastesMildly sour and green, slightly mucilaginous
- SeasonRoughly June to September
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Get Sofra — free download →What it tastes and smells like
Sour in a mild, vegetal way — closer to sorrel than to lemon — with a succulent snap and a slight slipperiness when chewed. That texture is the reason it belongs in fattoush: against fried bread and a sharp dressing it reads as juicy rather than slimy.
Only the leaves and the tender stem tips are worth using. The thick lower stems are stringy and go in the bin.
Purslane has a look-alike, spurge, which sprawls similarly but has thin flat leaves and leaks a milky sap from a broken stem. Purslane's leaves are thick and its sap is clear. If a stem weeps white, put it down.
What it is used in
- Faten's Idlibi FattoushIdlib · Levantine
- FattoushMount Lebanon · Levantine
- Maqluba bil Lahma — Upside-Down Eggplant and Meat RiceIdlib · Levantine
How to buy and store it
Farmers markets in summer are the most reliable source, and Middle Eastern grocers sometimes carry it. Mainstream supermarkets almost never do, which is why so many recipes quietly leave it out.
It is also foraged, and it is one of the easier wild greens to identify with confidence: low sprawling reddish stems, thick fleshy oval leaves in rosettes, tiny yellow flowers. Only pick from ground you know has not been sprayed or treated, wash it very well, and if you are at all unsure of an identification, buy it instead.
If you cannot find it
- Watercress goodPeppery rather than sour, and similarly juicy. The best substitute in a fattoush.
- Lamb's lettuce, or mâche goodMild and tender, and it brings the succulence if not the tartness.
- Rocket acceptableMore bitter and drier. Use less of it than the recipe says.
Frequently asked questions
What is baqleh?
Baqleh is the Arabic name for purslane, a low succulent green with thick oval leaves. It is mildly tart and juicy, and it is one of the defining ingredients of fattoush.
What does purslane taste like?
Mildly sour and green — nearer sorrel than lemon — with a succulent snap and a slight slipperiness. Against fried bread and a sharp dressing that texture reads as juicy.
Is purslane the same as the weed in my garden?
Very likely. Purslane grows wild across much of North America and is commonly weeded out of gardens and pavement cracks. It is completely edible raw.
How do I identify purslane?
Low sprawling reddish stems, thick fleshy oval leaves growing in rosettes, and tiny yellow flowers. Its look-alike, spurge, has thin flat leaves and leaks milky white sap from a broken stem; purslane's sap is clear.
What can I use instead of purslane in fattoush?
Watercress is the closest — juicy and fresh, peppery rather than sour. Lamb's lettuce also works and brings the succulence.
Where can I buy purslane?
Farmers markets in summer, and sometimes Middle Eastern grocers. Ordinary supermarkets rarely stock it.