Beef and Kohlrabi Salad

SUZE AND I WERE SITTING AT A STALL IN THE BARBECUE MARKET IN SAPA. WE WERE INVITED BY THE TABLE NEXT TO US TO JOIN THEM; THEY WERE LOCALS FROM HANOI, FEASTING ON TRADITIONAL SAPA DISHES. ONE OF THE DISHES WAS WOK-TOSSED BEEF WITH A STRANGE PALE GREEN VEGETABLE CALLED KOHLRABI. I ASKED ONE OF THE LADIES WHAT THIS SWEET CRUNCHY VEGETABLE WAS. SHE TOOK MY HAND AND WE WENT TO THE MARKETS, WHERE SHE INTRODUCED IT TO ME.

KOHLRABI, MEANING ‘CABBAGE TURNIP, IS IN THE SAME FAMILY AS CABBAGE