Kohlrabi – The German Turnip

What is Kohlrabi?

Kohlrabi is a stout green vegetable that resembles a cabbage and a turnip in shape, size and color. The name kohlrabi comes from the German word for cabbage, kohl, and the German word for turnip, rube or rabi.  
It’s in the same family as the Brussels sprout, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and collard greens. Kohlrabi tastes like the stem of broccoli but it has a crisper texture. Many people compare the texture of kohlrabi to an apple.
Kohlrabi is a root vegetable that has leafy greens which grow above ground. The greens are edible, too, and are often eaten like kale or collard greens. However, it’s the fruit that is most often eaten. It’s a popular food in Indian cuisine.

Health Benefits
Kohlrabi is packed with antioxidants. Antioxidants are the lovely chemicals and nutrients that help your cells repair. Eating vegetables and fruits high in antioxidants has been shown to prevent disease.
Like many vegetables, kohlrabi is also high in fiber, healthy carbohydrates, and it even has a bit of protein. One cup of kohlrabi has about 36 calories.

How to Eat
Eating kohlrabi is easy. You can peel it like an apple and dig in. You can dice it up and add it to salads. Many people enjoy eating kohlrabi raw. However, you can cook it too. If you like slaws, like coleslaw, you can shred a peeled kohlrabi and an apple and enjoy the crunchy sweetness.
Like many other vegetables in the kohlrabi family, it can be roasted too. Slow roasting tends to bring out the sweetness of vegetables and that’s true for kohlrabi. You can cut it into the shape of a French fry, sprinkle a little salt and enjoy.
It’s delicious boiled or sautéed and added to a curry. And if you enjoy pickles, pickled kohlrabi is delicious. It’s important to make sure you peel the kohlrabi well before eating. It has two outer layers that should be peeled away before eating raw or cooked.
Finally, don’t forget that the greens can be cooked too. Kohlrabi greens are excellent raw as part of a salad. They’re also delicious when sautéed in a bit of olive oil or tallow, onions and garlic.
While the kohlrabi has been called the ugliest vegetable, don’t go by its cover/ looks. Crunchy sweetness hides inside this rotund, green and bumpy vegetable.