Cooked or Raw Kohlrabi is loaded with vitamins and minerals

Kohlrabi is not new but many people do not know what it is when they see it at the market or green grocers. Moreover they don’t know what to do with it. Kohlrabi is a favorite in Germany and its German name has even been adopted in English, Japanese and Russian. The place of origin and the beginning of cultivation are unknown. It was not until the 16th century that he appeared on drawings in herbal books in Europe. It was particularly widespread in the 19th century. With many recipes dedicated to preparing it in different forms..

It contains high contents of various minerals and vitamins and is suitable as a raw food as well as a vegetable dish served with other foods. The chart below shows a low carbohydrate content per volume and a energy content when you consider there is no fat.  The Kohlrabi is commonly confused with root vegetables but does not belong to the turnip family. Instead, it belongs to the Brassica genus of plants and is related to cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. It is very tasty served steamed.

Many Australians I have spoken to about Kohlrabi liken it to a cross between a choko and a potato. I think it is more sophisticated than that flavor wise. It certainly is just as versatile as the spud or chocko in recipes.

This is the first segment of several recipes on how to eat and cook Kohlrabi. we hope you enjoy!

Ingredients: Among other things magnesium and selenium

Kohlrabi contains high doses of magnesium, selenium and calcium. Folic acid, B vitamins and vitamin C are also found in the tuber. The heart leaves of kohlrabi contain more nutrients in relation to their weight than the tuber itself

Botany: What is Tuber ?

The tuber is a thickening of the stem axis. Their shape ranges from spherical to oval. Depending on the variety, the diameter is between five and 20 centimeters. The long-stemmed leaves that grow from the tuber are dark green and serrated.

The shell  can range from greenish-white to green to blue-violet, depending on the variety. In Europe, the biennial plant is usually harvested from June on-wards. In Australia from September and some times earlier because of the extremes in weather patterns.

Storage: Without leaves in the refrigerator

Kohlrabi should – like almost all vegetables – be used as fresh as possible. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week if the leaves are removed beforehand. Wrapping in a damp cloth will extend the shelf life.

Tips for preparation: Mild taste popular with children

When buying, the leaves are an important indicator of freshness. Large tubers are often woody. Before preparation, the tuber is washed and the roots are generously removed and the leaf stalks removed sparingly. Then peel, cut out woody areas. Depending on your needs, you then cut the tuber into slices, strips or sticks. To freeze the kohlrabi, wash and peel it and blanch the shredded tuber for about three minutes.

Kohlrabi is consumed either raw or cooked as a vegetable garnish. For the latter, steam it in a closed pot or steam it with a little water. The vegetables are also suitable for gratinating or filling. Even children like it for its mild taste and tender flesh.

Nutritional table: Kohlrabi (per 100 grams)

Tasty recipes with Kohlrabi

There are a number of tasty recipes for Kohlrabi so many that it would be impossible to post them all in this article. For this reason we will post our Vitalis Health Kohlrabi recipes over a series of weeks. Giving you a few recipes to try out in each segment. Check them out below:

Stuffed kohlrabi with millet and mushrooms
Kohlrabi – Colorful vegetable spaghetti with king prawns
Kohlrabi – Quiche
Kohlrabi – Soup with wasabi
Kohlrabi Carpaccio – Delicious Spring time Starter
Kohlrabi – With Carrot & Chervil Sauce
Kohlrabi Gratin – Extremely satisfying dish for cold days
Kohlrabi – Noodles with cherry tomatoes
Kohlrabi – Herb marinated steaks on a bed of grapefruit and kohlrabi

Don’t forget to print out the Kohlrabi recipes and build your own cook book from our free Vitalis Health Library.