The common mallow, or Malva, is a member of the Malvaceae family, which includes lots of other favourites such as hibiscus, durian, cacao, and okra. In recent times the plant has been sidelined as a weed, but is in fact one of the earliest documented dietary and medicinal plants we know of.Growing close to the ground, with its tell-tale "missing piece of the cheese wheel" leaves (just one on the end of each stem) and small white or pink funnel-shaped flowers of 5 petals each, mallow is easy to pick out from the rest of the undergrowth. Mallow's furry leaves (which produce a slimy, oozing sap when broken or crushed) can be eaten happily raw in a salad, though due to their hairiness are more commonly stewed like other cooking greens and used in much the same way as chard or spinach. What's more, they don't exhibit the bitterness often found in wild greens that might deter people from getting into the foraging spirit. Since there are no poisonous lookalikes it's very easy to identify mallow, and even if you've misidentified within the family, from root to tip they are all edibles. If it happens to smell like mint once picked, you've most likely stumbled upon the ground ivy, but ground ivy is completely edible too.Mallow can be prepared in a wide variety of ways and is super healthy too:
In Greece and Turkey it is common for large mallow leaves to take the place of the "vine leaf" and be stuffed with rice, meat, and vegetables to form the traditional dolma/dolmades dish. Mallow has also been used as anything from anti-dandruff hair conditioner to a laxative detoxifier. The roots have even been used as toothbrushes!Image: Andamanec/Shutterstock