Gong Garden

Dialogue heard in the field: "What are those funny looking plants over there?" "Kohlrabi." "Cold rabbi?" "They're in the cabbage family." "They look like golf balls with leaves on top!"

The earliest mention of kohlrabi comes from Pliny in ancient Rome: a Brassica in which the stem is thin just above the roots, but swell out in the region that bears the leaves, which are few and slender." The name is German from kohl - cabbage - and rabi - turnip. The plant does share the characteristics of these two vegetables. The edible stem enlargement resembles a turnip, and the leaves taste like cabbage.

Like broccloi, kohlrabi bears the Latin name Brassica oleracea and belongs to the Cruciferae family.

Kohlrabi is a high carbohydrate, high fiber food, an excellent source of cellulose and lignin. It is a good source of vit. C (100 gr. contains 66 mg. ascorbic acid), low in sodium, and high in potassium (372 mg. per 100 gr.).

Raw Slice the bulb and eat it in a sandwich where you might use a few leaves of lettuce. You can also slice or grate kohlrabi, both leaves and bulb, into a salad. The bulb, sliced or quartered, is nice with dips. Steamed Slice and steam lightly just till tender so as not to lose the vit. C. Serve with butter or cream sauce. Stir Fry Add sliced kohlrabi towards the end to preserve its crunchy texture.

Grated salad Grate a cup each of raw carrot, cabbage, & kohlrabi. Mix in a tablespoon of sesame oil. Add raisins. Sprinkle on a healthy dose of sesame seeds. Eat!