kohlrabi

(kōl-rä'bē, -răb'ē)

[German (partial translation of Italian cavoli rape) : Kohl, cabbage (from Middle High German kōl , from Old High German , from Latin caulis) + Italian rape, pl. of rapa, turnip.]

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kohlrabi

The swollen stem of a plant apparently originally from northern Europe. Kohlrabi has a bulbous base with stems that end in edible leaves. It can be pale green, white or purple, with an edible skin. Its sweet and crunchy flesh has a subtle radish flavor, while the stems and leaves taste like cabbage.

Buying

Choose: a smooth kohlrabi with no spots and a diameter of no more than 2¾ in. (7 cm). The leaves, if still attached, should be firm and well colored.

Preparing

Kohlrabi can be peeled before cooking or, more easily, after cooking. To eat raw, remove stems, then peel, removing all of the fibrous layer underneath the skin. Kohlrabi can be grated or julienned, diced, sliced or cut into chunks.

Serving Ideas

Kohlrabi is eaten raw as is, with dips, as a salad or dressed with vinaigrette. Cooked kohlrabi is served as a side dish, used in soups and stews, puréed or stuffed. It is steamed, peeled or unpeeled, and served with lemon juice and butter. It is delicious with a sauce or sour cream, as a gratin or cooked with ginger and garlic.

Storing

In the fridge: about 1 week, without its leaves, in a loosely closed or perforated plastic bag. The leaves keep 1-2 days.

Cooking

Boiled or steamed: peel after cooking (20-30 min or until tender). 

Braised, sautéed, roasted, or baked: peel before cooking.

Cook leaves only briefly and dress with lemon juice and butter.

Nutritional Information

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(click to enlarge)
Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea) (credit: W.H. Hodge)

Form of cabbage (Brassica oleracea, Gongylodes group) of the mustard family, which originated in Europe. Its most distinctive feature is the greatly enlarged, globular to slightly flattened stem that grows just above the soil. Its flesh resembles that of a turnip but is sweeter and milder. Low in calories, kohlrabi is an excellent source of vitamin C, minerals, and dietary bulk. The young tender leaves may be eaten as greens; the thickened stem is served raw or cooked. Though not widely grown commercially, it is popular in some regions.

For more information on kohlrabi, visit Britannica.com.

A cool-season biennial crucifer, Brassica caulorapa and B. oleraceavar. caulo-rapa, of northern European origin belonging to the plant order Capparales. Kohlrabi is grown for its turniplike enlarged stem, which is usually eaten as a cooked vegetable (see illustration). A common cooked vegetable in Europe, especially Germany, kohlrabi is of minor importance in the United States. See also Capparales; Turnip.

Kohlrabi (Brassica caulorapa), cultivar Early White Vienna. (Joseph Harris Co., Rochester, New York.)

Swollen stem of Brassica oleracea gongylodes (turnip-rooted cabbage, kale turnip (USA)); there are green and purple varieties. A 50-g portion is a rich source of vitamin C and supplies 10 kcal (40 kJ).

[kohl-RAH-bee] This vegetable is a member of the turnip family and, for that reason, is also called cabbage turnip. Like the turnip, both its purple-tinged, white bulblike stem and its greens are edible. The kohlrabi bulb tastes like a mild, sweet turnip. It's available from midspring to midfall. Those under 3 inches in diameter are the most tender. Choose a kohlrabi that is heavy for its size with firm, deeply colored green leaves. Avoid any with soft spots on the bulb or signs of yellowing on leaf tips. Store tightly wrapped up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Kohlrabi's best steamed, but can also be added to soups and stews as well as used in stir-fry dishes. It's rich in potassium and vitamin C.

brassica oleracea var. acephala.

• Vegetables, Legumes, and Fungi

"Gonglyodes" redirects here. For the moth genus of that name, see Erechthias.

Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi stems with leaves removed
Details
Species	Brassica oleracea
Cultivar group	Gongylodes Group
Cultivar group members	many; see text

Kohlrabi, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	113 kJ (27 kcal)
Carbohydrates	6.2 g
- Sugars	2.6 g
- Dietary fiber	3.6 g
Fat	0.1 g
Protein	1.7 g
Water	91 g
Vitamin C	62 mg (75%)
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.

Kohlrabi (German turnip) (Brassica oleracea Gongylodes group) is a low, stout cultivar of the cabbage that will grow almost anywhere.

The name comes from the German Kohl ("cabbage") plus Rübe ~ Rabi (Swiss German variant) ("turnip"), because the swollen stem resembles the latter, hence its Austrian name Kohlrübe.

Kohlrabi has been created by artificial selection for lateral meristem growth (a swollen, nearly spherical shape); its origin in nature is the same as that of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts: they are all bred from, and are the same species as, the wild cabbage plant (Brassica oleracea).

The taste and texture of kohlrabi are similar to those of a broccoli stem or cabbage heart, but milder and sweeter, with a higher ratio of flesh to skin. The young stem in particular can be as crisp and juicy as an apple, although much less sweet.

Except for the Gigante cultivar, spring-grown kohlrabi much over 5 cm in size tend to be woody, as do full-grown kohlrabi much over perhaps 10 cm in size; the Gigante cultivar can achieve great size while remaining of good eating quality. The plant matures in 55–60 days after sowing. Approximate weight is 150 g and has good standing ability for up to 30 days after maturity.

It is tolerant to cracking.

Kohlrabi can be eaten raw as well as cooked.

There are several varieties commonly available, including White Vienna, Purple Vienna, Grand Duke, Gigante (also known as "Superschmelz"), Purple Danube, and White Danube. Coloration of the purple types is superficial: the edible parts are all pale yellow. The leafy greens can also be eaten.

Some varieties are grown as feed for cattle.^[1]

Kohlrabi is one of the most commonly eaten vegetables in Kashmir.^{[citation needed]} Locally called monj, the vegetable is eaten along with the leaves (haakh). A Kashmiri household may have this on their dinner or lunch plates three to four times a week.^{[citation needed]} Monj (kohlrabi) is made in many forms. There is a spicy version which the Pandits call dum monj, while as the nonspicy version is called monj-haakh.^{[citation needed]}

In India, Kohlrabi is more commonly called Knolknol (English) or Nookal (Hindi). It is also used extensively in Southern part of India. In Kannada, Kohlrabi is called Gedde Kosu.

References

1. ^ Bailey, L. H., (1912, republished in 1975). Kohlrabi for stock-feeding. In Cyclopedia of American Agriculture: Vol. II--crops. Macmillan Publishing, New York. p. 389-390. ISBN 0405067623. Google Book Search. Retrieved on June 15, 2008.

External links

• PROTAbase on Brassica oleracea (kohlrabi)
• Horticultural information on the tasty kohlrabi From the Learn2Grow databases
• Kohlrabi and Brussels Sprouts Are European
• Texts on Wikisource:
  • "Kohl-rabi". Encyclopedia Americana. 1920. 
  • "Kohl-rabi". New International Encyclopedia. 1905. 

v d e Brassica Brassica carinata Brassica juncea Brassica napus Brassica nigra Brassica rapa Brassica tournefortii Canola Celery cabbage Chinese cabbage Collard greens Kapusta Kohlrabi Meigan cai Mustard plant Napa cabbage Pao cai Rapeseed Rapini Rutabaga Spring greens Suan cai Tatsoi Turnip Zha cai

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - kålrabi, glaskålrabi

Nederlands (Dutch)
koolrabi

Français (French)
n. - chou-rave, chou-navet

Deutsch (German)
n. - Kohlrabi

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) γογγυλοκράμβη, ρέβα

Italiano (Italian)
cavolo rapa

Português (Portuguese)
n. - tipo de verdura (f) (Culin.)

Русский (Russian)
кольраби

Español (Spanish)
n. - colinabo

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - kålrabbi

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
大头菜

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 大頭菜

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 콜라비 (양배추의 변종)

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - カブキャベツ, 球茎カンラン

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) الكرنب الساقي أبو ركبه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮קולרבי, כרוב-הקלח‬

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