Kohlrabi

Brassica oleracea Gongylodes group

If you have never tried eating a Kohlrabi, you are in for a treat. Unlike a turnip, the edible "globe" that you eat develops on top of the soil. This makes them resistant to maggot damage. They have a very mild, turnip-cabbage taste. Because of their mild flavor, many kids love them. This popular European vegetable is gaining popularity here in the U.S.

Like most brassica or cole crops, Kohlrabi grow best in cool weather. Little growth occurs above about 75ºF and they tend to become woody and fibrous. Sow seeds in the early spring for a summer harvest and again in late summer for fall and winter harvests. Plant seeds about 1/4 inch deep in rows two feet apart. Thin plants to four inches apart in the row. Kohlrabi requires fertile soil and ample soil moisture for best results.

According to the USDA nutritional data, they are a good source of Vitamin C and potassium and are low in both sodium and calories. One cup of diced and cooked kohlrabi contains 140% of the recommended daily allowance for Vitamin C and only 40 calories.

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Each packet contains one gram, which is approximately 200 to 250 seeds.
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Preparing and Using Kohlrabi:

Kohlrabi PeelingTo prepare Kohlrabi you must first remove the stems and leaves by either cutting or pulling them off.  The leaves are mild in flavor and can be added to a salad as a green.

Next, peel the outer skin and remove the root end as it tends to be tough.

Personally,I love to eat Kohlrabi freshly peeled and raw.  Some of our family like them with a little salt or cut into julienne and dipped into ranch dressing. They also can be diced or grated into tossed salads or grated and made into a slaw.  Kohlrabi make a great snack in a bag lunch.

Kohlrabi SlicedAlong with eating them raw, Kohlrabi can be cooked in many ways. They can be diced and steamed, along with the leaves.  You also might want to try cubing, marinating in a little olive oil and your favorite seasonings, wrapping in foil, and grilling for ten minutes or so on the barbeque.  Kohlrabi also stir fry well.

Storage

Kohlrabiwill store very well fresh for weeks in sealed plastic bags in the crisper section of your refrigerator.

They can also be frozen.  Select small to medium bulbs, wash, peel, and either leave whole, or dice in 1/2 inch cubes.  Water blanch whole Kohlrabi for three minutes and cubes for one minute.

Cool quickly in cold water, drain and package in freezer weight plastic bags leaving 1/2 inch of head-space. Seal, label and freeze.

Nutritional Facts

Serving Size 100 g. raw 

Amount Per Serving

Calories

25
Total Fat 0g
Protein 2g
Carbohydrates 6g
Dietary Fiber   4g
Minerals  
     Sodium 20mg
     Potassium 350mg
     Calcium 24mg
Vitamin C (100% RDA) 62mg


Nutrition Data Source: USDA Nutrient Database
A Brief History of the Kohlrabi

There are many different horticultural forms (or races) of the species, Brassica oleracea. These include cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower and Kohlrabi. They all had wild cabbage as a parent.

"Kohlrabi" is a word adopted from the German language where kohl means cabbage and rabi means turnip. It apparently was developed in northern Europe shortly before the 16th century.

The first published description was made by a botanist in 1554 and by the end of the 16th century it was known in Germany, England, Italy, Spain, Tripoli, and the eastern Mediterranean. It was cultivated in larger scale in Ireland by the 1730s, England by the 1830s and records of cultivation in the United States dates back to the early 1800s.

Kohlrabi is a biennial requiring part of two growing seasons, with wintertime in between, if you are intent on producing and saving seed.