Monday, June 29, 2009

Kohlrabi Lotus

Kohlrabi is an interesting veggie to watch grow: first it starts off as a small, brown ,star-shaped seed, tentatively sending forth tiny, arrow shaped leaves. As it matures, the stalks turn purple, then pale green leaves form to protect its heart, where a small orb is taking shape. This orb fattens and swells above the root, storing sugar. The Kohlrabi has a beautiful lavender-purple tinge with lime green notches. Held from above it looks like a mini lotus flower. It's a great plant for edible landscaping, as it will grow anywhere. I usually like to eat them raw, sometimes like an apple, but I also like to dip them in egg and crumbs with cornmeal (like a fried green tomato) and then sliced on a salad or in a sandwich.The leaves are edible when used young, but tend to be a bit tough once the root bulb forms. Ideally, a Kohlrabi bulb should be smaller than an apple. Kohlrabi is an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium. It contains vitamin B6, folic acid, magnesium and copper. Kohlrabi leaves are rich in vitamin A. Members of the mustard family such as cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and Kohlrabi were all developed through the same plant through seed selection: http://gardenline.usask.ca/veg/cabbage.html Not the most common veggie in the market, but grow your own in some pots, you will love them up. You can even cut them into shapes, like this.

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