Foraging: Sticky Willy
Cleavers Curry
Sticky Willy may not be what you might immediately think of as a delicious meal – but it makes for a great curry! Cleavers (or Goosegrass) is the ‘real’ name for that really annoying plant that grows everywhere and the kids love sticking on your back without you realising.
![foraging cleavers foraging sticky willy](https://gowildgowest.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/sticky-willy3.jpg)
The kids may be a little sceptical as you collect the ingredients together, but reassure them that this recipe is delicious, cheap, quick and easy…
Tips for foraging Sticky Willy
- Forage in Spring and Summer when the plants are young
- The entire plant is edible but the best bits are the fresh, young leaves
- Sticky Willy is commonly found along hedgerows, fields, and in gardens.
- Cleavers is actually part of the coffee family roast the seeds once they’re fully hardened to make a cleavers coffee!
- You can even make juice! Check out this BBC article on foraging
![foragers curry: sticky willy](https://gowildgowest.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/sticky-willy4.jpg)
Recipe:
Sticky Willy Curry:
Ingredients:
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
oil
fresh ginger, chopped
3 tsp fresh coriander, cumin powder, and chilli powder
2 carrots
2 tomatoes
3 handfuls fresh cleavers’ leaves
250ml water
100g creamed coconut
Method:
- Fry the onions in the oil over a low heat for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and turn the heat up to medium. Fry for a further 2 minutes
- Stir in the ginger and all the spices, stirring continuously
- Chop and add the carrots, tomatoes, and cleavers leaves
- Add the water and the coconut milk and simmer for approx. 15 minutes until cooked.
- Serve with rice
The seeds of sticky willy are also great to use as ammo in a bamboo pea-shooter!
For more forager’s recipes check out our wild garlic and nettle soup here. Or perhaps add cleavers leaves to a campfire bannock?