Delhi Chefs Share Energy-Saving Cooking Tips Amid LPG Shortage Crisis
As the ongoing LPG shortage continues to disrupt daily life in Delhi, affecting both households and restaurants, culinary experts and chefs are stepping up to offer practical solutions. They are advocating for more efficient cooking methods that reduce reliance on gas, emphasizing the use of alternative appliances and smarter techniques to navigate this challenging period.
Embracing Electric Appliances for Everyday Cooking
Many chefs, who are popular online for their recipes, are now sharing valuable tips on energy-efficient cooking. They suggest that households can significantly cut down on gas usage by relying more on ovens, air fryers, and other electric appliances, while also adopting more thoughtful gas practices.
Chef Sandeep Namboodiry of Mesa and Elma’s highlights that one of the simplest adjustments is to shift certain cooking tasks away from the traditional stove. Using appliances like ovens, OTGs, and air fryers can be highly effective. For instance, vegetables such as potatoes, beetroot, and sweet potatoes can be prepared using the confit method—slowly cooking them in oil at low heat and storing them for later use. Roasting vegetables individually in the oven is another efficient approach that saves gas.
For Indian gravies, Namboodiry recommends roasting tomatoes and onions in the oven until they are caramelized. These can then be blended into a paste and stored, serving as a ready-made base for various curries. Proteins also benefit from this shift; a simple marinade followed by oven cooking at around 180 degrees Celsius works exceptionally well. Air fryers are particularly useful for delicate ingredients like fish and prawns, offering a quick and gas-free alternative.
Conserving Gas Through Smart Cooking Habits
Chefs are also promoting everyday habits that help conserve gas. Chef Kunal Kapur recently shared online that preparing ingredients before turning on the stove—such as chopping vegetables and measuring spices—can significantly reduce flame time. Cooking with a lid traps heat, allowing food to cook faster and use less gas. Kapur also advises ensuring that the flame is only as wide as the base of the pan to minimize gas wastage.
For dishes like rajma, chhole, dals, and potatoes, he strongly recommends using a pressure cooker instead of boiling ingredients in open pots. Pressure cooking can reduce gas consumption by as much as 30-50%. Additionally, soaking ingredients such as dal, rice, and chickpeas beforehand can further shorten cooking time. Using flat-bottom cookware, which absorbs heat faster than curved vessels, is another simple yet effective tip.
Professional Kitchens Adapt to the Crisis
Professional kitchens in Delhi are not immune to the LPG shortage and are adopting similar strategies to cope. Chef Vaibhav Bhargava notes that many restaurants are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and charcoal. "Currently, we are rephrasing recipes so that they do not require high-pressure cooking," he explains, highlighting a shift towards more gas-efficient methods.
Cloud kitchen operator Mansher Duggal, who runs delivery brands including Enoki, Ambersar, and Tahini, shares that some brands were already using electric hot plates, ovens, and air fryers, making the transition smoother. However, the biggest adjustment has been with dishes that depend on intense wok flames. To adapt, some kitchens have shortened menu sections that rely heavily on high-flame cooking and introduced induction-compatible wok systems. This shift also involves managing electrical load and retraining staff to cook on new equipment.
Innovative Home Cooking Solutions
Chef Megha Kohli of bespoke hospitality consultancy Logik points out that a quieter shift is happening in home kitchens. For dishes that benefit from slow cooking, appliances like crockpots can quietly simmer rajma, chole, or chicken curry throughout the day without occupying the stove. Rice cookers, she adds, are perhaps the most underestimated tools in Indian kitchens, capable of preparing a variety of dishes such as vegetable pulao, khichdi, lemon rice, or millet bowls.
Even the microwave and OTG have larger roles to play in this new cooking paradigm. From steaming vegetables and cooking quick snacks to roasting fish, vegetables, or chicken, these appliances offer versatile and gas-free options for everyday meals.
As Delhi residents grapple with the LPG shortage, these expert tips provide a roadmap for more sustainable and efficient cooking, helping to mitigate the impact on daily life and culinary traditions.
