As LPG shortage looms, what does it take to cook across multiple platforms?

I am left with one empty cylinder, and a pre-recorded LPG booking system that repeats, “We are facing technical difficulty.” I realise it is time to bring the gadgets out.

I pulled out an egg boiler, an oven and an induction cooktop from the kitchen loft. The induction cooktop, originally purchased to prepare meals for my dog during a road trip two years back to a remote part of Konkan, was the only gadget which I was comfortable using, to some extent.

Over the years, there had all been stowed away because I found it easier to boil eggs on the stove and grill meat on a pan. The air fryer seemed finicky and complicated, and I honestly prefer cooking on a conventional gas stove, where all four burners are on and things move fast.

A woman shops for an induction stove at an appliance store in Hyderabad
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Special Arrangement

Things have changed quickly in my kitchen.

Now, I boil water in an electric kettle, do the prep —like sautéing masalas for gravies — on the gas stove, and then shift to induction when it is time to cook the gravy. So, now whether it is the egg, chicken or fish curry, it is over to the induction. Select the cooking option, set the time and walk away. Using the cooker on induction to cook pulses is my go to trick. When it is tadka time, it is the gas stove. As an Indian who love alu bhaja (potato dry fry, not deep fry) I haven’t been able to get the temperature and cook mode right. The saute option on the induction isn’t of much help. Food on induction tends to dry up faster, it needs the steam element most times. So, if you have an induction base idli cooker, there is no stopping you from making idlis. I also realised cooking on gas makes you feel hot and sweat more. Induction cooks faster than the gas stove what you need to know is to learn to control the heat in degrees and not by turning a knob.

The egg boiler now does its job, though I find it messy — the steam leaves water droplets on the kitchen platform, and eggs tend to crack faster. The steam plate, however, makes it convenient to prepare steamed omelettes. Steamed eggs or omelettes are tasty. If you like jammy eggs, the egg boiler is the best gadgets. Unlike me, who discard user manuals upon unboxing, follow the instructions and get perfect boiled eggs. It also comes with a ‘keep warm’ option.

The air fryer has been a pleasant surprise. It is turning out beautiful grilled chicken and fish. Instead of just popping them in, I do two-way cooking — partially cook on gas stove for seven to eight minutes, marinate or add sauces, then shift to the air fryer on chicken mode. Brining meats (leaving them soaked overnight in salt water, with seasoning of your choice) helps with even flavour and keeps them tender, not chewy. My go-to marinade is a mix of garlic, fresh green or red chillies(lots), coriander leaves. Ground to a coarse paste, add salt if required, a dash of honey and oil. When I am lazy I turn to chef Joel Basumatari’s Bhut Jolokia sauces. If you have gochujang paste it is a win-win option. I have never been more pleased with my grilled wings and chicken leg joints. Fish, though, I still prefer fried.

If you are new to an air fryer, you can use it to reheat meats, toast bread, roast sweet potatoes and grill paneer. For meats and stuffed vegetables, do about 30% of the cooking on gas and finish in the air fryer for that grilled effect. I find the air fryer noisy. The high-speed convection fan that circulates the air makes it a lot of more noisy than an oven.

In an attempt to make Bangkok-style steamed fish, I improvised. I do not own a steamer, so I went the Indian jugaad route —placed a trivet inside an induction-safe pot, set a cooker bowl with marinated fish on top, used the idli steam mode, and managed a decent steamed fish.