Make a friend of a weed Purslane

Everyone seems to be talking about the Paleo Diet.  They are even sharing Paleo Diet jokes:

"I'm on the Paleo Diet, it is just that I'm the caveman who
 discovered Snickers Bars"

"How do you know if someone east Paleo? Don't worry they will tell you."

Warrigal greens (top) and cooked purslane

One thing you do learn from Paleo Diet is that where man once ate Omega 3 fatty acids in a ratio of 1:1 with Omega 6 fatty acids, the ratio is now something like 1:40.  That's a lot of Omega 6 at the expense of Omega 3.

Okay, so where do you get Omega 3s so you can balance your diet?  A weed, which is probably growing in your backyard, or within walking distance of your home, contains more Omega 3 fatty acids than any other known plant in the universe.  The weed is called purslane.

Huge patch of purslane found at Albury airport

For those in Sydney, purslane can be found on a handy wild food map.  I used the map to locate purslane in Bella Vista.

At Bella Vista purslane was happily growing in red chip bark.

While the stems are edible I choose to simply strip the leaves. I steep these in boiling water for three minutes before rinsing with cold water. Drain water before serving. By steeping them you remove excessive oxalic acid. I then serve them with a stir fry giving those at the table the option to sprinkle some of the purslane over their stir fry.   Pick purslane after noon as the plant generates an acid - malic acid - overnight to help kickstart the photosynthesis process in the morning.  By noon the malic acid is used up. Malic acid gives a sour taste.  If you have ever eaten sour lollies, like sour worms, then you've had malic acid.

Immediately near this location is the Woolworths Headquarters. Picking purslane from outside their office puts a new meaning to their marketing tagline "Fresh food people".

When picking weeds ensure that the weed:

1. Has not been sprayed with weed killer.
2. Is not subject to people or animal traffic of faecas.
3. Is free of any insect invasion.

There are a list of nutritional benefits of purslane listed on this link.  Purslane has been used in treating Multiple Sclerosis.

Shalom,
Ozhamada

P.S. there is one Sydney greengrocer that sells purslane.  Chooks love purslane and the Omega 3 passes through to their eggs.  I has been observed that chooks let loose on a new paddock will flock to purslane before any other food.  I've received fantastic feedback on this post including an understanding that Purslane is available in Cabramatta markets and that Chinese people consume it both for its digestive benefits and in addition as a medicine.

All links up-to-date at 25 February 2016

#foraging #wildfood

Throw your cloak away

A blind man, a beggar, Bartimaeus, hears of Jesus passing by (Mark 10:46-52).  Jumping to his feet to meet Jesus he "throws his cloak aside".  The episode concludes with Bartimaeus being healed by faith.


Bartimaeus boldly broke through a number of barriers to ensure an audience with Jesus:  


i) He could not see Jesus, only hear of his presence.  


ii) His infirmity put him in a poor position in that others crowded Jesus in preference to providing Bartimaeus an audience.  Many of those in the crowd where following Jesus from far away locations so they would not have known this local beggar.


iii) Jesus was on a passage to Jerusalem and his disciples were eager to ensure he did not deviate from his path.  At this point in the journey, "leaving the city" Mark 10:46, it would have been common for beggars to gather to target those who were travelling the Jerusalem road.  As people were making the journey to celebrate Passover the beggars were hoping to benefit from seasonal generosity.  The disciples were perhaps particularly weary of such groupings of beggars as they presented as a very needy group for healing ministry.

Against all these barriers Bartimaeus threw away his cloak - a most remarkable thing to do as his cloak was his sole means of worldly protection.  Bartimaeus was literally throwing away all he had so that he could follow Jesus - a message that had earlier pained the rich young man in Mark 10:21.  That the cloak was of importance as a means of protection is identified here:

"This cloak would have been his only protection from the cold at night, and his only shade from the hot sun during the day"

Source: http://bibleillustration.blogspot.com/2007/10/blind-bartimaeus.html accessed 16 May 2011

Bruce Robinson, an Episcopal priest, of St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Highland Park, Pitttsburgh, Pennsylvania,  captures the essence of Bartimaeus' contribution to Mark chapter ten very well:

"He first calls out as the party comes by, and when Jesus asks him what he wants he cuts right to the chase. No bargaining for position and status, like James and John. No trick legalistic questions, like the Pharisees. No playing to the crowd, like the Rich Young Man—who wanted to be sure that everybody knew, we’ll remember, that he had kept all the commandments since he was young. "

Source: http://revbmrobison.blogspot.com/2009/10/twenty-first-after-pentecost-2009.html accessed 16 May 2011

referenced from Wikipedia page: "Healing the blind near Jericho" accessed 16 May 2011

Many who read this will most likely identify themselves more with the rich young man than a poor blind dependent beggar.  However, it is Bartimaeus who is the last that comes first (Mark 10:31) and who is like the little child (Mark 10:15).  Bartimaeus while blind had seen (Isaiah 42:7), when others who had sight were blind.  Bartimaeus who left everything behind to join Jesus on the journey to the cross.

What cloak are you gripping onto?  Can you cast it aside for the sake of the kingdom?

Shalom, 

Ozhamada

#bible #jesus #nazarene

Now also in Russian at this linked post