Kohlrabi tastes delicious, is healthy and grows on our doorstep. We will show you if and how you should peel kohlrabi and how you can reuse the leaves.
Raw or cooked, kohlrabi is popular
Kohlrabi is very popular with us because of its mild taste. It tastes not only raw, but also cooked as a vegetable side dish. It is also very healthy: the tuber contains many nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, selenium and some vitamins.
You can buy kohlrabi all year round. But you can only get it particularly fresh and from the region in summer. In the winter time it is imported from the Mediterranean countries.
To peel or not to peel kohlrabi?
When buying kohlrabi, you should pay particular attention to the long green leaves. If the leaves are crisp and green, then the kohlrabi is fresh. Then it also tastes particularly mild raw. Many also tend to reach for the largest tubers. But be careful: the large tubers often have many woody parts. Then he should be peeled.
The small kohlrabi tuber usually has a more delicate skin and fewer woody parts. Here it is sufficient to cut off the roots and the leaves. Otherwise, you don’t need to peel the kohlrabi. But wash it off thoroughly with water. If you want to eat the kohlrabi unpeeled, it is best to buy it in organic quality.
Peeling kohlrabi made easy
However, it is better to peel a large kohlrabi:
To do this, remove the roots and leaves with a sharp knife.
Now peel either from the root base in a circle, or from the root base towards the leaves. Be sure to cut off woody and fibrous areas.
Then you can cook the kohlrabi.
Our tip: Use a vegetable peeler, then you only cut off what is absolutely necessary. However, you should completely remove all woody areas.
Kohlrabi leaves: too bad for the garbage
The long green kohlrabi leaves are often removed in the supermarket or end up in the garbage. That’s a pity, because the fresh and crunchy leaves contain other important vitamins. Here’s how you can put the sheets to good use:
When the leaves are young, green and crisp, you can chop them up and use them as a salad topping.
You can refine cooked kohlrabi with the finely chopped leaves.
Add kohlrabi leaves to your smoothie for an extra green kick!
Or you can leave the leaves whole and use them as a substitute for aluminum foil at the next barbecue. The large leaves in particular are ideal for wrapping grilled cheese and grilled vegetables.
