Traditional cooking keeps Ramzan food stalls running in Pune despite LPG shortage

Pune: Many Ramzan food stalls in the city are continuing to operate with relatively fewer interruptions, despite the ongoing LPG shortage disrupting operations in restaurants and households, by relying on traditional cooking methods that have long been part of festive food preparation.

In areas such as Kausarbaug and Camp, where Ramzan evenings draw crowds for haleem, kebabs and biryani, caterers said their reliance on coal, sigdi stoves and tandoors has helped them stay operational. Much of the preparation for popular Ramzan dishes continues to be done using traditional techniques, even though LPG is definitely required for some certain processes.


Caterers in Kausarbaug said kebabs, one of the most popular Ramzan delicacies, are cooked in tandoors using charcoal. "Some items still require deep frying for which we use a gas stove, but a large part of the cooking is already done using traditional methods," said Kashif Shaikh, a caterer from the area.

Haleem, another Ramzan staple that requires hours of slow cooking, is commonly prepared on sigdis using coal or firewood. The method allows cooks to maintain steady heat for long durations, something that is difficult to achieve when gas supplies are uncertain.

Navid Ansari, owner of Deccan Nawabs on NIBM Road, said restaurants and Ramzan stalls have been improvising with multiple cooking methods to keep their kitchens functioning. "We have only a few LPG cylinders left, at present. We are switching to a mix of firewood, commercial induction stoves and electric sigdis. We have arranged a separate, well ventilated space to use firewood for dishes like haleem and biryani that require long cooking. It is not ideal, but we are trying every possible method to keep the kitchen running," he said.

Those cooking for their homes have also turned to alternative appliances to continue preparing Ramzan favourites. Fatima Ali, a homemaker of Kondhwa, said, "Traditionally, haleem or khichda takes many hours of slow cooking. However, I am using a pressure cooker to reduce the cooking time and save gas."

Others are experimenting with modern kitchen devices. IT professional Ayesha Khan said she was using her air fryer more frequently. "I am using it instead of the gas stove for snacks that usually require frying. It helps reduce gas consumption, especially during Ramzan when we cook more items in the evening for iftar gatherings at my house. It is also a healthier option because it uses less oil," she said.

However, some stalls selling fried items are bearing the brunt of LPG shortage. Asif Gudakuwala, who runs a stall in Kausarbaug, said the crisis has made it difficult to continue operations. "My father, brother and I put up a stall selling Agra fried chicken every year during Ramzan in Kausarbaug. This is not something we can cook on induction because we have to deep fry whole chicken pieces in a large kadhai. Until Thursday we were getting cylinders in the black market for around 3,000, but even that has doubled now. We may have to shut the stall from Saturday until we find a cylinder," he said.