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
  

Kohlrabi and Apple salad

I grew my first kohlrabi! Not all of my seeds became plants because some bug was eating all the cruciferous seedlings, but a good half dozen pulled through. I love growing kohlrabi - you can also eat the greens, which makes this vegetable a twofer! I so far make the greens Ethiopian-style with onions, garlic and maybe ginger, with butter or spiced ghee, water, and a longer cook time.

I harvested this first kohlrabi thinking I might just eat it raw with some toasted spice and salt, but then saw this Bon Appetit recipe and decided to get a little fancy. The fancy is maybe a result of talking food all weekend with my friend, and her going into detail about a $1200 dinner (for 3) at a fancy Persian restaurant in New York that sounded exquisite. Especially because somebody else was paying! This lead to dreaming of post pandemic trips. If there ever is a post-pandemic time, which, well, is hard to say.

So, until then, fancy food can be attempted at home. This shaved kohlrabi and apple salad was really nice. I am listing the original recipe below, though I substituted almonds for hazelnuts, and aged cheddar for Parmesan because it is what I had. (Cheddar wasn't bad, but Parmesan would be best!) Do be sure to peel your kohlrabi to get the tough outer layer. Inside is a soft, crisp, very pale interior that matches the apples, which just have that sliver of red b/c I didn't peel mine. *Also, it turns out my 1970s mandoline is on it's last days, at least on the thin slicer setting, so I used a vegetable peeler and that worked fine. It was just a bit more tedious.

Kohlrabi and Apple Salad

½ cup blanched hazelnuts (or almonds)

2 medium kohlrabi (about 2 lb. total), peeled, thinly sliced on a mandoline

1 tart apple (Pink Lady or Crispin), peeled/cored, thinly sliced on a mandoline

½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt

½ cup torn fresh mint leaves, plus more for serving

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 oz. Pecorino or Parmesan, shaved (about ¼ cup) 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. *I did this all on the stove tip b/c it's hot and I do not have A/C.

2. Toss kohlrabi, apple, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vinegar in a medium bowl; season with salt. 

3. Add ½ cup mint and gently toss to just combine.

4. Toss toasted hazelnuts and oil in a small bowl to coat; season with salt.

5. Divide kohlrabi salad among plates and top with seasoned hazelnuts, Pecorino, and more mint.

 

Last night's dinner was this salad, plus leftover pork roast and a cucumber salad of mint, dill, cucumbers, lemon juice, and a little mayo. Yum.  

Winter Kohlrabi Salad

I bought a kohlrabi at the grocery store last week because I hadn't had any in awhile, and because it is one of the still local veggies available at the co-op. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it, until I found this Food 52 recipe for this lovely salad. I didn't have any cilantro, and I still thought it was great. In lieu of cilantro, spinach or arugula would also be good. This salad will become a winter staple.
*I also used this dressing on a green cabbage/carrot/apple salad with good results!

Winter Kohlrabi Salad 
1 head kohlrabi
1 apple (I used pink lady) 
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
¹/₂ tsp chili flakes
1 pinch cumin
¹/₂ teaspoon fish sauce
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1) Peel the kohlrabi. Cut it and the apple into matchsticks, or julienne with a mandolin.
2) Mix all dressing ingredients and pour over veggies. Stir to combine.