Table of Contents Show
Kohlrabi is a dietary product that has a number of valuable properties for the body. You can translate the name of the vegetable as “cabbage turnip”.
This largely corresponds to the taste characteristics of the product and its texture. The rich mineral composition and pleasant taste make kohlrabi an ideal product for salads and soups.
Learn how to choose, peel, slice and cook such a vegetable correctly!
What is kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi is a biennial plant belonging to the class of cabbage crops. The plant is a highly nutritious product, since it contains many beneficial substances (easily digestible carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, dietary fiber).
In terms of vitamin C content, “cabbage turnip” surpasses most cruciferous and citrus crops (including white cabbage and lemon). Because of these properties, chefs actively use the product in cooking.
Another significant advantage is the price. At any fresh market you can buy a kilo of kohlrabi at the price of 500 grams of potatoes.
What does a kohlrabi taste like?
In terms of vitamin C content, kohlrabi surpasses lemon and orange. It tastes like a cabbage stalk, but more juicy, sweet, without the sharpness inherent in white cabbage. Pulp of kohlrabi has a pleasant sweet-nutty taste.
After heat treatment, the product’s flavor becomes even more pleasant and suitable for adding to salads and side dishes.
However, such a vegetable will not suit you if you want to get a dish with a bland taste. Kohlrabi always gives a special flavor to other products.
How to choose kohlrabi
When buying kohlrabi, follow the tips that will help you choose a fresh and high-quality product. Among them:
- Choose small kohlrabi, weighing 100 – 150 grams, with a diameter of no more than 10-12 cm. This is a recommendation for vegetables with a greenish – white color. Purple kohlrabi can be larger, but not much.
- The leaves should be fresh, not wilted. The grafted leaves may indicate not only that the cabbage is not fresh, but also a violation of the cultivation technology. With excessive watering at the end of the growing season or when watering before harvesting, the taste of kohlrabi deteriorates sharply, it becomes watery and tasteless.
- Kohlrabi should not have any damage, the stem should be without spots and incisions. If the purchase was not entirely successful, cut off the subcutaneous layer along with the skin.
How to peel kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is a royal cabbage with a great taste and texture. Its use in cooking makes an invaluable contribution to the menu and human health. However, it has one drawback. The problem of peeling kohlrabi cabbage arises for everyone who wants to cook it. To do everything quickly and correctly, follow the instructions:
- Remove the “top” of the cabbage and excess leaves.
- Carefully use a knife to peel off all the green that remains on the cabbage itself or its stalk.
- Thoroughly rinse the cabbage head under cold running water from the ground and dirt.
How to cut kohlrabi
To make the process of preparing kohlrabi easy, learn how to cut the vegetable correctly.
Divide the product in half, then cut into smaller pieces. It is best to choose dicing, as well as the average thickness of all portions.
You should start slicing only after pre-cleaning and rinsing kohlrabi. It is also important to use only a sharp knife moistened with water. There is another available slicing option suitable for salads.
You can grate kohlrabi on a grater or with the help of a sharp vegetable peeler and add it to the dish.
Can you eat kohlrabi leaves and stems
Stem is not the only edible part of kohlrabi. In the aboveground part, it acquires a spherical shape. Kohlrabi also has long green leaves. Professional chefs do not consider them suitable for food and simply throw them away.
But kohlrabi leaves are extremely useful and even more nutritious than the stem tuber. You can use them like other leafy vegetables, for example, in salads or soups.
Kohlrabi strongly resembles a turnip with an edible underground part. The entire concentration of vitamins and minerals is contained in the stem. Also where you can find the more pronounced taste and aroma.
Is it better to eat kohlrabi raw or cooked?
To maximize the benefits of using kohlrabi, it is best to use it raw, without heat treatment. You can cut or grate the vegetable into salads or snacks, season with olive oil or natural yogurt and sprinkle with lemon juice.
As a simple recipe for raw kohlrabi, chefs advise cutting it into strips and serving it with various sauces.
However, cooked kohlrabi is still a delicious option. You can roast it, stew or bake it in the oven. Final choice of cooking completely depends on your taste preferences.
How to cook kohlrabi
You can prepare kohlrabi in 2 classic ways. Try them out:
- Cut the kohlrabi into small pieces. Place the chopped kohlrabi in a saucepan. Fill a saucepan with 1.25 cm of water and add a pinch of salt. Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil at high temperature.Reduce the temperature and let the kohlrabi stew for about 5-7 minutes, or until softened; check readiness with a fork.
- On the grill. Preheat the grill to medium temp. Cut the kohlrabi bulbs into thin slices, and then each slice into tiny pieces. Place the vegetables in a large deep bowl. Sprinkle the kohlrabi slices with olive oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly so that all the pieces are evenly covered with marinade. Wrap kohlrabi in foil and cook on the grill for 10-12 minutes.
How to bake kohlrabi
Baking is not a classic kohlrabi cooking method, but you will like the result. Just preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet by greasing it with a non-stick spray.
You can cover the baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil. Cut kohlrabi bulbs into medium-thick pieces. Use a sharp knife to make it easier to cut the shell. In a large bowl, mix olive oil, crushed garlic, salt and pepper.
Put the kohlrabi in the mixture with olive oil so that the mixture covers each piece. Place the kohlrabi in the prepared baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
How to prepare kohlrabi for roasting
Everyone can cook a delicious kohlrabi dish using dry heat. Before roasting, you must know how to peel and slice the vegetable properly. You will only need a kohlrabi bulb and a sharp knife.
Cut the vegetable into thin slices without removing the peel. The leaves in such a dish will not be useful to you, so just throw them away. Next, preheat the pan skillet.
Add the chopped garlic to the hot oil and roast for some minutes. Add sliced kohlrabi to the pan and prepare, stirring the pieces constantly, for extra 5-7 minutes.
How to cook kohlrabi on stove
Stir frying is an excellent way to cook kohlrabi on the stove. The main secret is to add a lot of oil to a hot frying pan. To do everything right, follow the step-by-step instructions from professional chefs:
- Pour vegetable oil into a deep frying pan and heat it over medium heat for a few minutes.
- Cut kohlrabi into thin strips.
- As soon as the oil is sufficiently heated, put the kohlrabi in a frying pan.
- Cook the vegetable until crispy crust in 2-3 minutes on each side.
Place stir fried kohlrabi on a paper towel and let the excess oil soak in.
Hungarian creamy kohlrabi soup recipe
This Hungarian creamy soup recipe is perfect for vegetarians. To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients:
- butter – 2 tablespoons
- onion – 1 piece
- kohlrabi – 1 piece
- vegetable boulton – 1 cup
- bay leaf – 1 piece
- salt and pepper – to taste
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan with a lid.
- Cut 1 medium onion and fry it for 10 minutes.
- Also add kohlrabi, broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper to the saucepan. Cook for 25 minutes under the lid.
Kohlrabi Coleslaw recipe
A light kohlrabi salad is a great side dish for the whole family. To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients:
- white cabbage – 500 g
- kohlrabi – 400 g
- carrots – 300 g
- apple – 50 g
- broccoli stems – to taste
For dressing:
- natural yogurt (or mayonnaise) – 200 ml
- lemon juice – 25 ml
- granulated sugar – 25 g
- soy sauce – 5 ml
- pepper mixture – 5 g
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Rinse the cabbage and cut into pieces. Also wash kohlrabi, carrots, apples, and parsley. Finely chop the cabbage.
- In a deep bowl, mix the chopped cabbage and kohlrabi, kneading thoroughly with your hands.
- Peel the carrots and chop them as well. Put everything in a salad bowl with cabbage. To balance the taste, you can add an apple.
- Mix all the ingredients for refueling. The dressing sauce should be infused for at least 30 minutes.
- Add the dressing to the salad and let it stand for 30-40 minutes.
Kohlrabi salad with carrots and garlic recipe
Another option for a delicious kohlrabi salad is with the addition of carrots and garlic. So you will get a light salad perfectly suited to meat or chicken. For this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- kohlrabi (medium size) – 1 piece
- carrot – 1 piece
- garlic – 2 cloves
- vegetable oil – 2 tablespoons
- fresh cilantro – 1 small bunch
- ground red pepper – to taste
- salt – to taste
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Wash Kohlrabi and carrots, peel, cut into thin strips.
- Add salt, pepper, herbs and finely chopped garlic.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan. Pour hot vegetable oil over the vegetables and herbs. Mix it up.
- Put the salad in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
Kohlrabi fried with cheese recipe
Kohlrabi can be eaten raw, but stir fries with cheese will appeal to you more. The set of ingredients is quite simple:
- kohlrabi – 600 g
- ground crackers – 30 g
- olive oil – 1 tablespoon
- grated Dutch cheese – 0.5 cups
- eggs – 2 pcs
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Peel the young kohlrabi, wash and boil in salted water.
- Remove the vegetable from the water, cool and cut into slices.
- Dip each piece into raw eggs, roll in ground breadcrumbs and stir fry on both sides in olive oil.
- Sprinkle cooked kohlrabi with grated cheese.
What does kohlrabi go well with?
With kohlrabi, you can safely combine products with which you eat ordinary white cabbage.
These are any root vegetables and herbs, bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, meat, fish and seafood, peas and lentils.
Black and red ground pepper are good spices. You can fill such a product with sunflower and olive oil, sour cream, apple vinegar, mayonnaise, and lemon juice.
How to Store Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is a bulbous vegetable, so you should choose suitable storage conditions for it. To prepare kohlrabi cabbage for storage, you must remove all the leaves from the heads, leaving only small petioles up to 5 cm long.
It is also important to remove the tough core of the vegetable. After washing and cleaning, dry kohlrabi for about 2-3 hours. When the heads are dry, gently shake off the dirt and litter from them.
It is important not to damage the skin, otherwise the heads will begin to rot. After that, place the vegetable in a dark, dry place. If you decide to increase the shelf life of the already prepared kohlrabi, then use the refrigerator.
Also, the stems will remain fresh for a long time if you maintain high humidity, good ventilation and the correct temperature regime – from +1 to +7 degrees in the room.
Common tips
If you are cooking kohlrabi for the first time, then tips from professional chefs will help you. Among them:
- Kohlrabi is one of the most versatile vegetables. You can cook it the same way as carrots or turnips. However, it is important to control the temperature regime due to the difference in textures.
- Do not ignore kohlrabi leaves — they are also edible. You can enjoy greens as well as spinach, beetroot or cabbage. The main thing is to monitor the freshness of greenery.
- You can buy kohlrabi at most farmers’ markets. When buying kohlrabi, remember that large fruits can be tough. Choose medium-sized bulbs that seem heavy for their size. Also check the leaves — they should be bright green and crisp. Do not buy kohlrabi with soft spots or yellowed leaves.
- cooking kohlrabi may seem like a great idea, remember that this vegetable retains most of its nutritional value when eaten raw. Just peel, slice and sprinkle kohlrabi with salt. As for the leaves, use them as a substitute for typical salad greens.
Final thoughts
Kohlrabi is an excellent substitute for familiar vegetables such as turnips or cabbage.
You can eat it raw or cook it in various ways.
Before choosing a recipe. learn how to properly peel and slice kohlrabi. Don’t be afraid to try new combinations to replace the old and familiar ones. Kohlrabi will help you!