To clean the lotus stems, rinse them thoroughly under cold water to remove any dirt or impurities. Next, peel the lotus stems and chop them into small 3 to 4 inch pieces by cutting them in half from the center.
For the turnips, peel off the skin and chop them into 1 to 2-inch small circular pieces.
Start by selecting the "saute" function and adding 1/4 teaspoon of heeng (asafoetida), 2 whole dried red chillies, and 2 cloves to the pot. Add in the lotus stems and saute for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped turnips and continue to saute for an additional 3 minutes. Next, remove the lotus stems from the pot and set them aside. This step helps eliminate the raw smell of the lotus stems. Additionally the cooking time for turnips and lotus stems is different so we will take out the lotus stems, cook the turnips and add the lotus stems back in.
To add a burst of flavors, sprinkle 2.5 tablespoons of Kashmiri chili powder into the pot and stir. Then, pour in 1/4 cup of water to prevent the Kahsmiri Chili from burning, followed by 3 teaspoons of salt. Stir. Furthermore add in an additional 1/2 cup of water. Stir the mixture well and add 1 teaspoon of ginger powder. Mix everything together thoroughly.
Now, close the instant pot lid and select the "manual" or "high pressure" setting for 3 minutes. Once the cooking time is complete, perform a quick pressure release. Add the lotus stems back to the pot and pour in 1 and 1/2 cups of water. Close the lid again and select manual/pressure cook for 2 minutes. Once done quick release the pressure. Enjoy with rice.
