Amid LPG crisis, Bengaluru doctor shares 10 simple cooking techniques that halves gas consumption without any change in taste

An LPG shortage has hit India amid the Middle East war, with restrictions imposed on commercial LPG supply. The situation has led to a sharp surge in prices, leaving small businesses and roadside vendors in a lurch. Many are struggling to keep up with their daily operations, while a few are on the verge of a shutdown as LPG cylinders are becoming unavailable in the market. Some of the cities impacted by the supply disruption include Greater Noida, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Lucknow.

LPG or Liquefied Petroleum Gas is a key cooking fuel used by millions of households and food businesses and with the current crisis it is all the more essential to conserve and reduce its consumption as the future is still unpredictable. Now, Bengaluru-based doctor, nutritionist and author Nandita Iyer has shared a detailed post on X, offering 10 tips on how to use LPG efficiently.

Use the pressure cooker

The nutritionist recommends switching to a pressure cooker to prepare foods like dals, beans, potatoes, and meat, as it reduces cooking time significantly by 30–70%.

Soak pulses, beans and rice

Another strategy to speed up cooking is through soaking, which can be prepared 30–50% faster. The doctor suggests soaking rajma or chana for 8-10 hours, dal for 30-60 minutes, and rice for 20-30 minutes.

Use the right-sized burner

Small burners are perfect for tea, tadka, or reheating. Meanwhile, large burners should be used for pressure cooking or boiling water. To avoid gas wastage, the doctor emphasises that flames should not extend beyond the pan’s circumference.

Cook with lids on

This method helps to retain heat, reduce evaporation, and speed up cooking, lowering fuel usage by 20-25%.

Cut vegetables smaller

Cutting vegetables into smaller pieces, like dicing potatoes instead of chopping into large chunks, increases the surface area, allowing heat to penetrate faster and reducing cooking time.

Cook multiple items together

Another great hack is to stack foods in a one-flame, multi-cooking way, which can cut fuel use dramatically. For example, keep dal at the bottom, rice above, and vegetables in a small bowl. For smaller cookers, place one vegetable directly in the cooker and another in a cup over it.

Check the burners

The doctor adds that checking and cleaning burners every few weeks is mandatory, as blocked holes can lead to inefficient combustion. Look for blue flame, efficient combustion, and faster heating. Take note of the yellow flames as they indicate energy wastage.

Switch off early and use residual heat

Foods like rice, khichdi, boiled vegetables, pasta and pressure-cooked dal can be cooked with residual heat. So it is better to switch off the flames 2–3 minutes earlier to save fuel.

Use flat-bottomed heavy vessels

Heavy cookware, such as thick stainless steel, triply steel, or cast iron, distributes heat evenly, reducing cooking time and fuel use, unlike thin utensils, which not only waste heat but also sometimes burn food.

Smarter cooking

Finally, the doctor advises adopting smart cooking techniques like using an electric kettle to boil water, beverages like coffee or tea, pasta and even blanching vegetables. She suggests batch cooking for multiple meals, like dal, rice, potatoes and beans. Another trick is to refrigerate the extra portions, minimising LPG consumption while maximising efficiency.