With the Turkish novela Amor Prohibido playing on my mom’s iPad, we settled into our kitchen roles. My mom led the way, as she sauteed diced tomatoes and onions. My two-year-old nephew, who already speaks better Spanish than I do, stood by my mom’s side asking to be carried. “Abu, alzar,” he said, motioning with his arms to be hoisted up. (“Abu” is short for abuelita.) My youngest brother, who’s keen on taking food and family photos, captured my mom’s tomatillo salsa resting on the molcajete where she had just ground the chiles and tomatillos. As my mom’s sous chef, I washed greens, removed limp leaves, and pulled stems. It was a recent Thursday and we were cooking purslane, which we know as verdolagas, one of Mexico’s most, Read more