Veggie Fact of the Day

New Vegetable #17 - Kohlrabi (Kadam)

Kohlrabi, also called German Turnip, belongs to the cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts family. It is one of the most commonly eaten vegetables in Kashmir where it is eaten along with the leaves (haakh) and is often prepared as a Saag. In Punjab, it is know as Kadam ka Saag and the preparation includes the greens and finely diced bulbs, in a mustard seed based spice mixture (tadka). The texture of kohlrabi is similar to that of a broccoli stem or a cabbage heart. Earlier this year, I tried making celery root, and it also reminded me of Kohlrabi. The taste is mild, sweet and has a little bit of a crunch also after it has been cooked. In the USA, Kohlrabi is often eaten raw in salads. There are several varieties of Kohlrabi that are commonly available including one called the “Purple Danube” – which is bright purple in color, although the color is mainly superficial. The purple variety is sweeter and apparently tastier than the pale apple-green variety. While buying kohlrabi, look for smaller bulbs for their edible skin. Larger bulbs appear to have a tougher more woody skin and may need to be peeled. Kohlrabi are low in calories, and high in fiber like most vegetables. Their claim to fame is a very high potassium, calcium and Vitamin A and C content.