Kohlrabi. It's a strange, somewhat tasteless vegetable, but if like me you enjoy eating food for its texture this is prob a veg for you! It's surprisingly watery and refreshing, with an excellent crunch! It's that crunch that makes it perfect for pickling. My love of pickled kohlrabi started many years ago when a meat shop in Ottawa would make and sell beautiful jars of pickled kohlrabi every fall. They didn't sell them last year, which has forced me to try and make my own.
So here you have it, the closest recipe I could find to those glorious pickles. This recipe is the perfect balance of sweet and salty and comes together very easily. Feel free to cut the kohlrabi as you see fit; thin slices, french fry cut, matchstick. My favourite size is prob about 2 inches in diameter and 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
Quick pickled Kohlrabi
2 1-pint mason jars with lids (or other heat safe containers) 1 lb kohlrabi* (~1 large or two medium), peeled, cut into matchsticks with a mandolin or food processor 1 1/2 cups rice vinegar (unseasoned) ½ cup water ½ cup sugar 2 Tbsp kosher salt 1 Tbsp mustard seeds - optional
1 Tbsp peppercorns - optional
1 tsp pepper flakes - optional
Pack half the kohlrabi into each jar.
Make pickling liquid: Add rice vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and mustard seeds to a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally so the sugar doesn’t scorch.
Pour hot pickling liquid over kohlrabi, leaving about ¼ inch headspace; place lids on loosely; let cool to room temperature (~1 hour); tighten lids and refrigerate. Keeps in the fridge for a few months.