A light green or purple vegetable that is a member of the cabbage family. As it grows it develops a bulblike stem that expands into a round bulb shape just below the leaves. It resembles a turnip in appearance and taste. It is eaten both raw and cooked. When cooked, it has a texture similar to broccoli. The leaves of the Kohlrabi are edible but are most often trimmed off and discarded. If cooked, the leaves taste similar to kale. When selecting kohlrabi, avoid those that have stems over 3 inches wide or cracks in the bulb of the stem. To store, place in a plastic bag and refrigerate up to a week.
A sweet, mild vegetable which deserves to be better known, kohlrabi is especially good in this simple preparation. Choose tennis-ball size or smaller kohlrabis to make sure they are young and tender.