Indian-spiced Kohlrabi

My aunt told me that my grandmother always cooked kohlrabi - she never ate it raw. I have thus far been the opposite, so tonight I decided to try cooking it. Twice this week I wanted some kind of starchy vegetable to eat with dinner - so many cukes and tomatoes and greens that I wanted to diverge. I ate sunchokes earlier, and tonight I made this. It is based off of a youtube video from a very lovely person who records the cooking process. Here is my understanding of what he did - the water was the most confusing part in that he doesn't specify how much and I was balancing enough water to cook the kohlrabi but not so much that it would not cook off. *I have never had Panch Phoron - Indian 5 spice blend. I did not have all seeds, so made due with some powders. It was good, and I will use again!

I found the cooked kohlrabi tender, and a bit more bland. Germans use it a lot in stew, which would be quite good I think, and would be an excellent substitute for potatoes if you are wanting to be keto or low carb. I like it best raw - so far - but this was a fun experiment that tasted good. It would be best with some other Indian dishes, and maybe some Dosa, which I hope to make in the coming weeks! It also has lots of vitamin C and fiber.

Indian-spiced cooked Kohlrabi

• 1 T olive oil (or coconut oil)
• 1 tsp Panch Phoron spice mix (see below)
• 2 kohlrabi, peeled and cut into 1" pieces 
  
• 1+ tsp salt
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp red chili pepper
• 1 chili pepper, sliced (opt)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
  
• 1" piece ginger, minced 

Heat oil in a saucepan on med heat. When it is hot, add Panch Phoron until the mustard seed pops - just a few seconds. Add kohlrabi pieces and 1/3 c water (or so). Bring water to boil, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice to make sure all pieces cook evenly.

While kohlrabi is cooking, mix garlic and ginger into a paste with a mortar and pestle (or if you are me and without that tool, in a stoneware small bowl with the end of a rolling pin).  

Once kohlrabi are tender, remove lid. Add spices, salt, ginger-garlic paste, and chili pepper if using. Cook until water is gone - another 5 minutes or so. Serve!

Panch Phoron spice: mix the following:

• 1 T cumin seeds
• 1 T fennel seeds
• 1 T fenugreek seeds
• 1 T nigella, or black cumin seeds
• 1 T black or brown mustard seeds