Cool Kohlrabi
A Crisp Vegetable for Dips and Slaws

Kohlrabi, a vegetable from the cabbage family, is a crisp and nutritious addition to salads, soups and stews.

With its tentacle-shaped leaves and green or purple bulbs, you might think it’s an alien life form. It is, in fact, kohlrabi, a cool-weather brassica that grows abundantly in the Northwest and provides a crisp, nutritious addition to salads and stir-frys.

Eaten raw, kohlrabi’s crunchy, almost melon-like texture makes it an excellent choice for slaws and vegetable plates. “Nobody really knows kohlrabi,” says Mary Ellen Carter, culinary instructor and author of At Joe’s Garden, a cookbook that emphasizes seasonal Northwest vegetables. She’s created a new recipe: Asian Slaw with Carrots and Kohlrabi, which pairs the sweetness of fresh carrots with the cool, mild cabbage flavor of kohlrabi. Topped with green onions, black sesame seeds and a dressing of vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper, it’s a quick and tasty way to enjoy this little-known vegetable.

Available in the Northwest from June to November, kohlrabi is named for the German kohl (cabbage) and rabi (turnip), which is more or less how it looks—somewhere between a cabbage and a turnip. Like broccoli, cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables, kohlrabi contains phytochemicals, reported to fight off some kinds of cancer. Kohlrabi also contains fiber, potassium, and is a source of vitamin C.

Most parts of the plant are edible, including the leaves with ribs removed, the stems, and the bulb (peeled). Cooks often steam or boil kohlrabi until it is just tender. It can also be baked or added to stews, soups and stir-frys. But the best way to prepare it, is also the simplest: “I eat it raw,” says Mary Ellen. “Just cut it in small pieces and put a little salt on it!”

Recipes:
Asian Slaw with Carrots and Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi with Honey-Sesame Dip