This delicious recipe hails from South Sudan where stews like this one are commonplace in the cuisine. The sour nature of purslane comes from the oxalic acid, a natural compound found in many plants (like sorrel, beet greens, chard, rhubarb, etc.). This subtle sourness plays well with the rich overtones of the stew and complements the lamb nicely. 

You can sometimes find purslane in the stores, but wild purslane can be found pretty much anywhere, even in sidewalk cracks (though you may want to avoid those plants due to contamination by dogs)! The best place to find it though is in gardens or on organic vegetable farms where they’re considered weeds. You’ll likely be able to find large specimens of the plant, and you can help a farmer get rid of their ‘weeds’ for them by taking them home! 

I made this recipe with the traditional lamb, but it would go great with venison as well. Use any tough cut with lots of connective tissue so it can cook down into delicious tenderness.

You could also make this without any meat at all, just add some nice mushroom or vegetable broth for a deeper flavour.