Indian-spiced Kohlrabi Salad

Kohlrabi is best served raw. photo: Abigail Weber

I was happy to find that krazy kohlrabi had arrived in my CSA basket this week. In my humble opinion, this freaky looking veggie is the oft-overlooked gem of the cabbage family. When the weather heats up, I love a no-cook salad (ok, no-cook if you don’t count the toasting of the cumin seeds). And kohlrabi is a dish best served raw. I learned somewhere along the line that kohlrabi featured prominently in North Indian cooking. That little tidbit way back in the recesses of my mind provided the Indian inspiration for this recipe. And the cantaloupe, well, that just seemed like a good flavor match. Let me tell you, it was. A delightful summer salad this turned out to be.

Serves 4

Lime Dressing

1/4 cup lime juice
1 small shallot, sliced very thinly
1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salad

4 cups watercress sprigs
1 large or 2 small green or purple kohlrabi, peeled and sliced very thinly*
1/4 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and sliced thinly
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

To make the lime dressing: Place all the ingredients in a measuring jug and whisk well to combine. Let the dressing sit while you prepare the salad ingredients so that the shallot can pickle lightly.
To prepare the salad: In a large bowl, toss the watercress with a couple teaspoons of the dressing in order to coat the leaves. Add in all the salad ingredients except the cilantro. Pour in the remainder of the dressing and toss to coat. Plate the salad and garnish with cilantro leaves.

*To slice the kohlrabi paper thin, I recommend using a Japanese mandoline. I generally try to keep it simple when it comes to kitchen appliances but this particular appliance is really great to have on hand. It’s compact, lightweight, and makes quick work of slicing. I use my mandoline when slicing potatoes for gratins, onion that will be served raw, or for veggies in pretty salads like this one.

Nutritional analysis based on 4 servings:
Calories 98, Fat 7g, Sodium 31mg, Carbohydrate 9g, Fiber 2g, Sugar 4g, Protein 2g