Look at these alien spaceships. 
They’re edible!
And though you’ll rarely see them at the grocery store, they’re a common find at farmers’ markets. I feel like they’re kind of the mascot of farmers’ markets, because they’re always there but people rarely know what to do with them. Yeah they’re cool looking, but how do you eat?? Then the people that do get them from CSA’s or farmers’ markets are so proud that they’re in the know and can impress everyone with their healthful kohlrabi dance.
Anyway, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people at the Quarter Branch stand go, “Woah what’s that? Oh it’s kohlrabi? What’s kohlrabi? What do you do with it? I don’t know either. K,” and walk away. Unless I intercept them and dump whatever kohlrabi knowledge I have on them. Then they usually still don’t buy it. But don’t be afraid of this bulbous little gem, there’s a multitude of ways you can use it.
First, some background. Kohlrabi is a German word that literally means “cabbage turnip.” So as you can guess, it’s got a cabbage-like and turnip-like quality to it. It’s a member of the Brassica family, like broccoli and cauliflower, which originated from a wild cabbage plant. It has the crisp, clean taste of cabbage and the shape of a turnip, but it is much sweeter and juicier. A farmer described it as tasting like raw broccoli stems, and I think that’s pretty accurate. Or like a vegetable-y apple (my expert words). You’ll most often see them as either green or purple, but there’s not much different between the varieties. Purple ones tend to be smaller and stronger in flavor – sweeter, vegetabley-er. The older the kohlrabi, the spicier it is. I heard about kohlrabi being eaten raw so much that I was surprised by its flavor when cooked. I love it! As it gets soft, this nutty flavor comes out that is such a great complement to the sweetness.
The skin on kohlrabi is super thick and not something you want to gnaw on. For most preparations, raw or cooked, you would have to peel it first. A normal apple/vegetable peeler is not going to make a dent, so the best way is to just use a small knife. Cut off the hard layer on the top and bottom too.
In case you’re wondering, raw kohlrabi smells like a mix of raw broccoli and cheese. Don’t ask me why it smells like cheese. It’s not in a gross way… It just does that.
The leaves sprouting from the head like a crazy little hairdo are edible too. You can use them just as you would collard greens or kale: stir fry, juice, soup, smoothie it up. Back to the funky little knob. Because it’s not that common of a vegetable, people haven’t gotten crazy creative with cooking it. It’s often used as a substitute for potatoes or any of the vegetables listed above. There are a number of basic ways that people use kohlrabi, and you can personalize them any way you want.
Raw: Juice/smoothie – You might not want to drink kohlrabi juice straight up, but it’s a great complement to other flavors like carrot, apple, or beet. It can go in a more “green” direction with other vegetables, or a sweeter direction with fruits. Try adding the greens from the stem as well. One large or two small should be enough for one person if there are other items involved.
Dipped – Cut it in sticks just like you would a carrot and dip it in something. Its mild flavor could really work with anything, even just a drizzle of olive oil. One of my favorite sauces/dressings/dips (I use it for everything) is a tahini-miso combo. All you need is tahini (sesame paste), miso paste, apple cider vinegar, and any other little add-ins you want. I like adding garlic, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds. Miso flavor is strong and apple cider vinegar is tart, so use whatever measurements best fit your taste buds. The nutty tahini smooths out the flavor, but you might need to add water depending on what consistency you want.
Salad – Shredded/cubed kohlrabi is great to throw into salads as well.
Julienned – The size before shreds. These are long, thin strips, best done by hand. It may seem like a fancy knife trick, but really you just need to pay attention and be careful. Kohlrabi can become their own salad, like green papaya. Or use it to garnish soup.
Kohlslaw – Kohlrabi. Slaw. How has no one called it that yet??? People love making slaw (that word makes me uncomfortable) with kohlrabi. All you need to do is grate it and then you can use it just as would cabbage. You can mix it with cabbage or carrots and any other coleslaw fixings you like.
Here’s a recipe you can try: http://www.thekitchn.com/san-francisco-farmers-market-r-46627
Kohlrabi noodles – Like zucchini except cooler!!! Because no one is doing it! Raw or cooked. I really want to try this now. Stay tuned for an update eventually.
Burgers – A couple of fresh slices would add some great crunch and brightness!
Cooked:
Soup – Cubed or creamed, chilled or hot, spring or fall, the possibilities are endless!
Fritters – My favorite! All you need to do is grate it and mix it with an egg or two. You can add other shredded vegetables like carrots or zucchini. Make sure the oil (olive or coconut or butter) is really hot when you pan-fry it, so you get that nice sizzle and crispness. Many recipes will call for flour or breadcrumbs, but it’s really not necessary. I have my own recipe coming soon, but this one looks great.
http://www.acouplecooks.com/2013/01/kohrabi-fritters-with-avocado/
Roasted/baked – Roasting brings out and warms (I really think “warm” is a flavor) the inherent sweetness. Plus, it’s stupid easy. Also, you can have a little oven party with a bunch of other vegetables. Toss with olive oil, garlic, herbs, salt, whatever, and send it away at a temperature of 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes to get it all golden and soft. (P.S. Baked can also mean baked fries. Kohlrabi fries. Hell yes. Also you get a bonus story about a dog crisis with this recipe.)
http://www.fiveandspice.com/2012/03/16/chili-dusted-kohlrabi-fries/
Steamed – Now it’s cooked. So you can pretty much do ANYTHING with it. Mashed kohlrabi, anyone?
Pickle it? – Why not.
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/11/shredded-kohlrabi-quick-pickle-recipe.html
If you want to get kinda shmancy:
So there’s a little taste of the wonderful world of kohlrabi. I’m kinda sad that our farmers’ market season is ending because there’s so much to try and so little time! I just got super excited about kohlrabi. You don’t hear that every day. Enjoy, guys!
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