July 18, 2014

Mexican Kohlrabi Salad with Papalo

I hope that by now, most of you know that the only thing I love more than kohlrabi is sharing the kohlrabi love with other people. So when I come across another way to use it, I can’t help but share.

I can’t take the credit for this recipe, I got the idea from a farmer at the market a couple weeks ago, who was handing out samples of a simple kohlrabi salad- basically chopped kohlrabi and lime juice with a sprinkle of salt. I loved the idea as a topping for tacos or a simple side dish for grilling out. I was about to walk about from his stall when something caught my eye- a bunch of light green herbs that I’d never seen before. I asked him what they were, and he replied, “Papalo!” Apparently it has a similar flavor to cilantro, but a bit spicier and more peppery. It’s used a lot in Mexico, because it’s also easier to grow in the heat, whereas cilantro bolts quickly when it gets hot. I honestly had never heard of it before, but after tasting it, I was already wondering how I could get some seeds to plant in my garden next year. It’s really tasty and would be the perfect addition to pretty much any Mexican dish.

It sure went perfectly in this kohlrabi salad. The raw kohlrabi is sweet and crispy, and with the peppery bite of the papalo and the sharp tang from a squeeze of lime juice, this is a pretty rockin’ salad. We ate it plain one night, then a few days later (batch #2), we piled it on top of some chorizo tacos, which I loved. I love me some crunch on top of my tacos, don’t you?

And don’t hate me because I’m giving you a 4-ingredient recipe in which two of the ingredients are somewhat obscure. If you don’t have papalo, just substitute cilantro. And kohlrabi isn’t really hard to find anymore- it’s everywhere, once you know to look. Isn’t that awesome?! It makes my kohlrabi-loving little heart sing. Enjoy.