Bitter herbs
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(Exod. 12:8). The Hebrews were commanded to eat the Passover lamb with bitter herbs. This was undoubtedly meant to depict the bitterness of their afflictions during their sojourn in Egypt, and to serve as a foreshadowing of the sufferings of the Savior. Wormwood is the chief bitter herb in Western Asia, being one of the plants generally found in Palestine. It is probable, however, that other bitter herbs, such as grew in the place where the Hebrews ate the Passover lamb, were also used for this purpose.
It is thought that there existed five kinds of bitter herbs for seasoning the Passover lamb, and that lettuce, the poorer variety of which was especially notable for its bitterness, held first place among them. The Jews of Egypt and Arabia at present eat the Passover lamb with lettuce or chicory mixed with vinegar. The Egyptians, however, nowadays eat lettuce with almost every piece of bread and meat.