‘Will try for Maggi’: Techie finds a no-gas cooking hack amid LPG crisis. But is it safe?

The LPG shortage in India continues to worry many amid the Middle East war. As per the latest updates, the Indian government issued a statement offering an additional 10 % allocation of commercial LPG to States and Union Territories. But it appears that desis have been experimenting with alternatives during this concerning phase. In a recent display of jugaad, a techie took the no gas, no problem mantra to a level higher, and perhaps riskier, through his unconventional cooking method, using an immersion rod. Yes, you read that right.

Techie’s immersion rod cooking

Himank Vasudeva, project manager and digital creator from Faridabad, posted a video of his uncanny cooking procedure on Instagram, which was quick to grab the attention of the internet. His out-of-the-box thinking led to a common household device, typically used to heat water for bathing, transforming into an unlikely kitchen tool.


The clip opened to the tech professional watching his food being prepared in a steel pot that sat on the kitchen counter. The pot was filled with a simmering, yellow curry, which was bubbling steadily with chunks of vegetables floating on the surface. The source of the heat, however, did not come from the flame underneath, but from a metal immersion rod dipped inside the pot. Its coils were partially submerged in the thick gravy.

LPG crisis in India and internet’s reaction

As the rod heated, the gravy around it also began to churn more actively with small bubbles rising rapidly to the top, especially near the coils. It created a concentrated boil in the centre while the rest of the curry followed in gentle ripples. Although the video was made with a humorous intent, it highlights a deeper issue that the country is facing right now with delayed cylinder deliveries, food businesses halting their operations and a few restaurants even shutting down due to a lack of cooking gas.

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A post shared by Himank Vasudeva (@vasudevahimank)

The internet did not waste time reacting to the video. One user jokingly asked the techie whether to eat the gravy or bathe with it. Disapproving of the method, another commented, ‘Immersion rods are designed for heating water for bathing or cleaning, not for direct food preparation, and they are generally not approved for culinary use. This can cause severe stomach infections.’ Meanwhile, an individual stated that the techie had unlocked 100 per cent of their brain activity.