Mami Cai

For a long time, I have never considered Mami Cai—purslane—a real vegetable. Not because it didn’t look like one, but because there was simply too much of it!

There are everywhere in the garden, always popping up uninvited, competing with the vegetables we actually plant on purpose. No wonder my grandma always told me to pull them out. I think that is also a reason why purslane was just a weed for me, persistent and useless (I used to think).

That belief collapsed one afternoon when my grandma said, instead of removing and throwing it away like always, I might pick out the bigger ones and bring them to the kitchen.

“What? You mean we can eat this?”

“Of course. It’s actually quite good.”

In that moment, my worldview cracked open. It felt like someone telling me that the candy wrapper I just tore off was, in fact, edible. I stared at her, completely confused. She only shrugged: “As long as a plant isn’t toxic, you can cook it.”

Well… fair enough.

But she was right. Purslane tastes surprisingly good. Tender, slightly tangy, refreshing. Later, when I looked it up online, I learned it’s not only edible, but also valued in traditional Chinese medicine for clearing heat, reducing inflammation, relieving swelling, stopping thirst, even aiding digestion. It can even be used in skincare.

After that, I stopped underestimating any “ordinary” wild vegetable. My little brother, inspired by the discovery, even started planting purslane in his own pots.

One day I asked my grandma, “If it’s so useful, why don’t we just plant it properly?”

She gave me a look, half amused, half practical:

“Why plant it if it grows on its own? Just collect it when you need it. Don’t be greedy.”