Navalkol/Kohlrabi

Navalkol (नवलकोल) also known as kohlrabi, gunth gobhi, knol khol and ganth gobi is an annual vegetable that is botanically related to vegetables like cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower

Navalkol is a light green coloured round vegetable, somewhat similar to a cabbage. It has long light green coloured shoots that can be eaten raw or cooked. Even though it seems like a root, it’s actually a large, woody 'swollen stem' which grows over the soil.Kohlrabi is surrounded by two distinct fibrous layers that do not soften appreciably when cooked. These layers are peeled away prior to cooking or serving raw.

Kohlrabi is an important part of the Kashmiri diet and is one of the most commonly cooked foods. It is prepared with its leaves and served with a light gravy that's eaten with rice. Kohlrabi is also commonly eaten in German speaking countries. The purple kohlrabi are just coloured on the exterior and are comparable to the green kohlrabi with it's white-yellow flesh.

In Maharashtra, Navalkol is regularly consumed during the winters. It's cosnumed in a couple of ways; It's served raw with the fibrous bits peeled off in salads ,or the tubers are cooked to make a bhaji while sometimes only the leaves are cooked to make a dry bhaaji with chickpea flour or Bhajani Pith (भाजणी  पीठ ).

Navalkol has a number of health benefits too.It is rich in antioxidants and thus helps fight cancer. The high Vitamin C content along with sulphoraphanes and other isothiocyanates (sounds complicated, doesn't it! ), which are believed to stimulate the production of protective enzymes in the body boost immunity.

Kohlrabi is low in saturated fats (also known as bad fats). This means a healthier heart and circulatory system. Also, it's high fiber content aids digestion and weight loss. With such goodness packed in that tiny, delicious, bulbus structure, it's good to add it in your diet!