Worried About LPG Shortage? Easy Kitchen Hacks To Make Your Gas Cylinder Last Longer

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In the midst of rising tensions in the Middle East, the issue of the supply of cooking gas has crept into the lives of people in India. While people are asked not to panic, the conflict has created a problem with the shipment of this important fuel.

Energy import dependency runs high in India, and this holds true for India's import dependency for cooking gas too. Over 60% of India's demand for LPG is met through import channels, with much of this coming from the Gulf nations and passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which is considered to be one of the most important shipping routes in the world.

Photo Credit: ANI

With the ongoing war affecting the shipping in this region, there are supply chain pressures. There are already reports that commercial users such as restaurants and hotels are being impacted by shortages, although the government is focusing on domestic users and asking people to refrain from panic bookings.

In fact, fears of a shortage have already triggered panic buying and long queues at LPG booking centres in some places.

While the situation is still evolving and officials say supplies remain stable, experts say this is also a good moment for households to rethink how efficiently they use cooking gas. A few simple kitchen habits can significantly reduce gas consumption.

Easy Kitchen Hacks To Make Your Gas Cylinder Last Longer

Here are some smart kitchen hacks every Indian home can adopt right now.

Cook With Lids On

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It may sound basic, but cooking with a lid on the pot can significantly reduce the time spent cooking. In this way, the food is cooked faster while at the same time reducing the gas consumption.

When cooking meals like dal, rice, and vegetables, the gas consumption can be reduced by as much as 20-30%.

Use a Pressure Cooker More Often

Pressure cookers remain one of the most fuel-efficient cooking tools in Indian kitchens.

They cook food faster by increasing internal pressure and temperature, which means you need far less gas compared to open-pot cooking. Pulses, potatoes, rajma, chana, and even vegetables can cook in a fraction of the time.

Prep Ingredients Before Lighting the Stove

Many people switch on the gas and then begin chopping vegetables or measuring spices. That idle flame wastes fuel.

Instead, one should prepare all the things beforehand and then turn on the gas.

Match Flame Size With the Utensil

If the flame extends beyond the base of the pan, you're wasting energy.

You should use an appropriate flame size in proportion to the size of the utensil, and choose flat-bottom pans for better heat transfer.

Soak Grains and Lentils in Advance

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Soaking dal, rice, rajma, or chana for 30 minutes to a few hours may save cooking time. This simple habit can help save gas while also improving digestion.

Batch Cook Where Possible

Cooking multiple dishes back-to-back while the burner is already hot can reduce repeated heating cycles. For example, preparing dal, sabzi, and boiling rice together can help optimise gas use.

Explore Backup Cooking Options

With the concern of LPG scarcity increasing, people are now looking for alternatives as well. For example, induction stoves or electric pressure cookers are alternatives. The sale of induction stoves has reportedly increased manifold as people are preparing for the scarcity of LPG.

Having an alternative doesn't mean that people are abandoning LPG. It simply means that they are preparing for the event of delayed refill of LPG cylinders.

Bottomline

Global events often remind us of the connection between the world of politics and everyday life. India is taking the right steps to ensure the stability of the supply of LPG and to give priority to the needs of households. However, there are many changes a person can implement in the kitchen to create a significant impact.

Cooking efficiently is not just important when the supply of gas might be threatened, but it is also important for the future.