This Instant Pot Kashmiri Kohlrabi – Monji Nadru is an easy, quick and delicious recipe.
What is Kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi – one of the most popular vegetables eaten in Kashmiri cuisine, yet very much unknown in most parts of the world. The entire plant – from the leafy green top to the bulb at the other end – is edible. I find it at whole foods, central market or market street in the fresh produce aisle. You can also find it at a local farmers market.
Nadru- Nadru is a Kashmiri word for Lotus Stem. This recipe is called Monji Nadru in Kashmiri cuisine. Monji means Kohlrabi in Kashmiri. Lotus stems are a good source of dietary fiber and vitamins and they look like an edible snowflake. They have a crunchy and delicate flavor. As per healthline.com, Lotus stems help contain both fiber and complex carbohydrates. These two components work together to help manage your body’s cholesterol and blood sugar. Lotus stems are available in Asian stores in the vegetable aisle. I buy them from H-Mart.
Prep for Instant Pot Kashmiri Kohlrabi – Monji Nadru
First, strip the leaves randomly by hand into half.
Second, peel the skin of the bulb. The outside layer is very fibrous and unpleasant. Use a sharp knife to remove the skin, as the skin may be too thick for a vegetable peeler. Slice the bulb into thin strips roughly 2 to 3 inches long and 1 to 2 inch thick as shown below. You can keep the head as is.
Then, rinse the Kohlrabi well in a colander filled with water a couple of times. Drain all the excess water.
Secondly, rinse and peel the lotus stem well. Chop them into round pieces. I typically soak them in water for 5 minutes after they are chopped to clean them well. I used 3 small lotus stem for this recipe. Roughly 2 and a half cups chopped, about 13.7 oz.
Cook Instant Pot Kashmiri Kohlrabi – Monji Nadru:
Firstly, select sauté on the Instant Pot and add oil. Kashmiri cuisine typically uses mustard oil. However, if you do not have mustard oil you can use any oil of choice.
Secondly, when the oil is hot add asafoetida, whole dried chili peppers and sauté for about 30 seconds.
Further add in the chopped Kohlrabi bulbs and let them sauté for 2 minutes. Then add in Kashmiri chili powder and let it sauté for 30 seconds. Add ¼ cup water quickly in order to prevent the red chili from burning. Stir well. Furthermore, add in salt, ground ginger and stir.
Additionally, add in the chopped leaves. Moreover, add in ¼ cup water and let it sauté for about 2 minutes. Next add in the chopped lotus stems. Stir well. Finally add in ¾ cup water. Mix well.
Close the lid and select manual/high pressure for 3 minutes. When done quick pressure release. Open the lid and add the Kashmiri tiki masala (optional) and 3 whole serrano peppers. Stir well. Finally, transfer into a serving bowl right away. Serve hot over steamed rice.
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Try some of our other Kashmiri recipe
Kashmiri Haak Aloo – Instant Pot Kale and Potato Curry
Swiss Chard Curry – Instant Pot Kashmiri Haak
Instant Pot Kashmiri Kohlrabi – Monji Nadru
Ingredients
- 13.7 oz lotus stem, 3 small stems (2 and 1/2 cups chopped)
- 1 bunch Kohlrabi, 3 small bulbs with leaves (2 cups chopped leaves and 2 cups chopped bulbs)
- 4 tbsp mustard oil or oil of choice
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida (heeng)
- 2 whole dried red chili pepper
- 2 tbsp kashmiri chili powder
- 1 and 1/4 cup water (divided)
- 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger (sonth)
- 1/2 tsp kashmiri tikki masala (optional)
- 3 serrano peppers (whole)
Instructions
Prep
- Strip the leaves of the kohlrabi randomly by hand into half.
- Peel the skin of the bulb. The outside layer is very fibrous and unpleasant. Use a sharp knife to remove the skin, as the skin may be too thick for a vegetable peeler. Slice the bulb into thin strips roughly 2 to 3 inches long and 1 to 2 inch thick as shown below. You can keep the head as is.
- Rinse the Kohlrabi well in a colander filled with water a couple of times. Drain all the excess water.
- Rinse and peel the lotus stem well. Chop them into round pieces. I typically soak them in water for 5 minutes after they are chopped to clean them well. I used 3 small lotus stem for this recipe. Roughly 2 and a half cups chopped, about 13.7 oz.
Cook
- When the oil is hot add asafoetida, whole dried chili peppers and sauté for about 30 seconds.
- Further add in the chopped Kohlrabi bulbs and let them sauté for 2 minutes. Then add in Kashmiri chili powder and let it sauté for 30 seconds. Add ¼ cup water quickly in order to prevent the red chili from burning. Stir well. Furthermore, add in salt, ground ginger and stir.
- Add in the chopped leaves. Moreover, add in ¼ cup water and let it sauté for about 2 minutes. Next add in the chopped lotus stems. Stir well. Finally add in ¾ cup water. Mix well.
- Close the lid and select manual/high pressure for 3 minutes. When done quick pressure release. Open the lid and add the Kashmiri tikki masala (optional) and 3 whole serrano peppers. Stir well. Finally, transfer into a serving bowl right away. Serve hot over steamed rice.
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