Recipe for local dish, Zu

Zu is a plant like acanthus leaves but without spikes. No idea what its scientific term would be! The plant is grown in the West of the country.
Ingredients
Zu
Animal fat
Salt
Zu and butter, like Burani, are used to complete food and have many fans in Kermanshah. Zu is wrapped in aluminum foil and put under ash or fire. Then butter is added and ground with a masher. Then it is served.
The longer and whiter the stem, compared to the leaves, the better the taste. Usually, Zu leaves are more bitter.
The plant in Kermanshah in Dalahoo area enjoys a rich nutritional value. Many believe that it is good for bone and joint pains.
Of course, botanists should confirm this! No idea what its scientific term is but my friends who had talked of Zu pickle, called the plant Coma or aucheri.
Procedure
To make this food, first clean the Zu and remove the end of the stems and leaves tips. Wash them well. Then put the Zu in a dish and pour half a glass of water in and cover it with aluminum foil. Cook it in the oven for half an hour. You can also do it in a pot over the stove.
Some would arrange the plant standing vertically next to each other and cook with a larger amount of water. Then they would drain the excess water to reduce its bitterness. They believe that the bitter taste would get out of the end of the stems. But I'd rather it with its bitter taste and think that its nutritional value would be preserved this way. Perhaps when you drain its water the nutritional value will decrease as a result.
In the picture above, Zu and butter are not mashed and you can eat with forks easily.