When it comes to household or commercial kitchens, LPG is the lifeline of any unit. The ongoing war in West Asia involving Iran, Israel and the United States is now beginning to affect Indian kitchens and restaurants, as supply disruptions linked to the conflict hit cities and the hospitality sector. According to PTI, IRCTC has asked operators of food plazas, refreshment rooms and 'Jan Ahaars' to switch to alternative arrangements to maintain seamless catering services for travelling passengers. They have been asked to switch to microwave and induction Cooking. The shortage is being reported in cities including Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, with restaurant associations saying supplies have become irregular over the past few days. In such a crisis, it is important to keep alternatives handy and use LPG sensibly. Here we have listed five daily dishes that can be cooked in a pressure cooker and simple hacks to make LPG cylinders last longer in the kitchen.
It is one of the most common dishes cooked in Indian households, and a pressure cooker makes the process quick and energy-efficient. Lentils like toor dal, moong dal, or masoor dal cook perfectly in just a few whistles. How it saves gas: Cooking dal in a pressure cooker drastically reduces cooking time compared to boiling it in an open pot.
Instead of cooking rice in an open vessel, use a cooker. If you are cooking 1 cup of rice, add 1.5 cups of water and pressure cook on a low-medium flame; your rice will be ready in 7–9 minutes after 2 whistles. To reduce the cooking time further, soak rice for 30 minutes before cooking. How it saves gas: The dish is ready in half the time it would take with open-flame cooking.
Rajma requires a longer cooking time, but a pressure cooker makes it much easier. Soaked kidney beans cook faster under pressure and become soft enough for a rich curry. Soaked rajma, pressure cooked at medium flame can be ready in 9-12 minutes after 3-4 whistles. How it saves gas: Instead of simmering for an hour on an open flame, rajma cooks in a fraction of the time in a pressure cooker.
Kathal as an ingredient takes time to cook. If you saute the dices with spices and pressure cook it with curry, your dish will be ready in a maximum of 10–15 minutes, whereas open flame cooking might take 30-35 minutes.
How it saves gas: The dish is ready in half the time it would take with open-flame cooking. It also makes kathal softer and more tender.
While this dish can be made in a kadhai, cooking it in a cooker saves time by 50 percent and your dish is ready in 10-12 minutes. How it saves gas: The dish is ready in half the time it would take with open-flame cooking.
Every time you cook, make sure the flame is not licking the sides of the vessel. This means the flame is too high, and such flames are of no use. It's a sheer waste and should be confined to the bottom of the pan/wok only
Cooking without a lid increases the cooking time and thus utilizes more and more LPG. By covering the lid, you trap the heat, build steam and reduce the cooking time. This also helps maintain the moisture of the dish.
As of March 20, 2026, the ongoing crisis in West Asia has significantly impacted India's LPG imports, leading to supply delays and a rise in "panic bookings." While the government has ramped up domestic production by 38% and secured safe maritime corridors, many households are experiencing refill delays of up to 10 days.
To help you manage your fuel usage during this time, here are five essential one-pot pressure cooker dishes and smart hacks to stretch your cylinder's life.
5 Daily Dishes to Make in a Pressure Cooker
The pressure cooker is your best ally during a shortage because it reduces cooking time by 30% to 70%. These one-pot meals minimize the number of times you need to ignite the stove.
Vegetable Pulao / Tehri: A complete meal that combines rice and seasonal vegetables. By sautéing the spices and vegetables quickly and then pressure-cooking with rice, you use only one burner for about 10–12 minutes.
Dal Khichdi: The ultimate fuel-saver. Since lentils and rice are cooked together, you eliminate the need for two separate cooking cycles.
Aloo Matar Gobi: Instead of slow-frying on an open kadai, a quick 2-whistle pressure cook with minimal water preserves nutrients and cuts gas usage by half.
One-Pot Pasta / Macaroni: Add your pasta, water, and pre-cut veggies directly into the cooker. It takes about 5 minutes of high pressure compared to 15 minutes of boiling on an open stove.
Stewed Chicken or Paneer Curry: Using the "pot-in-pot" method (stacking), you can cook your gravy at the bottom and steam rice or potatoes in a separate container on top simultaneously.
Simple Hacks to Make Your LPG Last Longer
Small changes in your kitchen routine can extend your cylinder’s life by up to 2 weeks.
1. The "Prep First" Rule
Never light the stove until every ingredient is chopped, measured, and ready. Leaving the flame on while you peel ginger or search for a spice jar is the most common form of gas wastage.
2. Soak Everything
Pulses/Rajma: Soak for 8–10 hours.
Dal: Soak for 30–60 minutes.
Rice: Soak for 20–30 minutes.
Impact: Soaked grains absorb water and soften, requiring roughly 40% less heat to reach the desired texture.
3. Use Residual Heat
Turn off the gas 2–3 minutes before the dish is fully done. Keep the lid on; the trapped steam and the heat from the heavy-bottomed vessel will finish the cooking process for free.
4. Check the Flame Color
Blue Flame: Efficient burning.
Yellow/Orange Flame: Indicates a clogged burner or incomplete combustion, which wastes gas. Clean your burner holes with an old toothbrush and a mixture of lemon and baking soda.
5. Always Use a Lid
Cooking in an open vessel allows heat to escape into the air. Covering your pots traps the steam, increasing the internal temperature and reducing cooking time by 20–25%.
Current Status Note: If you have a Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connection, the government has recently mandated surrendering your back-up LPG cylinder to prioritize supply for those without piped access.
Would you like me to look for the latest local LPG delivery timelines for Rajasthan or help you find nearby PNG registration centers?
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