That’s not a weed: Check out a recipe for horse purslane curry

Wild greens were once a part of our diet. They can, and should be, again, says artist and urban farmer Suresh Kumar G of Bengaluru.

Recipe: Attika Mamidi or Horse Purslane Curry

Horse purslane leaves at Kumar’s farm.

Ingredients:

400 gm of horse purslane leaves

500 gm of hyacinth beans or split chickpea lentils

1 or 2 onions

1 tomato

One small pod garlic

1 tsp coriander powder

Red or green chillies (to taste)

Salt to taste

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Ingredients for tadka:

Oil as required

A pinch of mustard seeds

4 or 5 curry leaves

One small pod garlic (crushed)

One small onion (finely chopped)

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Method

Wash the horse purslane leaves thoroughly with salt water (traditionally, it is washed in a ragi flour solution) and place in pressure cooker with peeled and roughly chopped onion, tomato, peeled garlic, chillies and salt. Turn heat off at one whistle. Remove mix from cooker and set aside.

Wash the hyacinth beans or split chickpea lentils (according to the season) and place them in pressure cooker. Turn heat off after three whistles.

Once greens mixture is cooled, grind coarsely.

Add ground-greens mixture to a pan and cook on low heat. Mix in beans or lentils, and water.

Add coriander powder and salt to taste. Finally, flash-fry tadka ingredients and add to pan, as seasoning.