The vegetable of the month this time is strictly one for the home gardener, occasionally you’ll see it on a supermarket shelf but it won’t taste anything like the ones you harvest from your own little patch, so don’t bother to pay the exorbitant price they’ll be asking. The Kohl Rabi is a cold weather crop from the same Brassica family as Broccoli and Kale, similar soil preferences (rich and nutritious).
May and June are the best months to plant this in Queensland. The leaves are of outstanding flavour and spring from the ball like swollen stem that is the main part of interest. When grown under favourable conditions the Kohl Rabi will be ready to harvest at about the size of a tennis ball or slightly larger. It can be put in stir fries but to really appreciate the subtle flavours I usually cut it into 10mm slices steam it for about 12 minutes. It never ceases to amaze me the delicate complexities of tastes and smells that are produced from dirt and water and how little our modern society values or respects such essential elements. Until next time, Namaste Stuart!