Hello lovelies, for years kohlrabi was the vegetable that slid right to the back of our drawer and waited there patiently. Raw in sticks, yes, or in a soup, but otherwise? Until one Wednesday I cut it into thick slices and breaded it. Ever since, these crispy kohlrabi schnitzel with a sesame crust have been our proof that a schnitzel needs no meat: deep golden and properly crunchy on the outside, tender and mildly sweet inside, and on the table in 40 minutes.
It all starts with the cut. I peel both bulbs generously, until there really isn't a woody fibre left to see, and then cut them into 1 cm (about 1/2 inch) slices. That thickness is the whole secret: thinner, and the slices fall apart when you turn them, thicker, and the kohlrabi stays raw in the middle. At 1 cm (about 1/2 inch) it cooks through exactly in the 3 to 4 minutes per side, with no boiling or blanching at all.
Why panko and sesame
Then three deep plates go side by side. In the first the flour with paprika, onion and garlic powder, in the second the whisked and seasoned eggs, in the third panko breadcrumbs with 2 Tbsp of sesame seeds. Panko is noticeably coarser than ordinary breadcrumbs and therefore stays airy instead of soaking itself full, and the sesame toasts along as the schnitzel cook and makes the crust nutty. The only thing that matters is tapping off the excess flour properly, otherwise the whole crust slides away as one sheet later on.
They cook in 2 Tbsp of oil and always in batches. The oil has to be properly hot before the first slice goes in, otherwise the crust soaks up fat instead of sealing straight away. And two or three rounds are better than one crowded pan, because packed tightly together the panko steams instead of toasting. After that a brief drain on kitchen paper, a little salt and pepper, and you're done.
At our table there is almost always something creamy for dipping alongside, plus mashed potatoes or rice. If you love kohlrabi now too, do try my Creamy kohlrabi salad with apple and carrot as a fresh side, and when you want something punchy to dip into, my Mediterranean guacamole with feta, olives and sun-dried tomatoes goes wonderfully with it. The second bulb goes into a Kohlrabi and parsnip soup at my house, so nothing goes to waste.
