Green arum (Arum hygrophilum) is a geophyte with a tuber, and by nature it’s a poisonous plant, carrying crystalline calcium oxalate that can sharply irritate the throat. Yet it holds a long-standing place in traditional Arabic cooking. The way to make it safe is patience: the leaves are cut, the central vein — where most of the toxins concentrate — is removed, and the greens are boiled for a long time with red sorrel. Sorrel neutralizes the oxalates, and the right balance is simple: one to one. Only after this slow treatment does the plant reveal the deep, earthy flavor behind its dangerous first impression.
A walk through the fields with Mr. Barak Sagi in Kfar Yehoshua turns into a quiet masterclass in wild gathering. Our first stop was Iris Ben-Zvi’s organic farm, where the soil itself feels like a guide. Sorrel, Galium aparine, Lamium amplexicaule, wild beet, green arum, Chenopodium murale, and bright, lemony Oxalis — each plant adding its own note to the early-season palette, and all of them reminding how alive the landscape becomes when you know where to look.
