Amid LPG crisis, Shimla cooks fire up traditional ‘char’ to feed legislators

Commercial establishments across the country, and even some homes, have been affected by a shortage of cooking gas as the ongoing conflict in West Asia chokes supplies.

Apart from running properties like Triple-H, the HPTDC is also responsible for catering during government events, including the ongoing Budget session of the state Assembly. In view of the LPG shortage, it has decided to shift from modern cooking techniques, such as high-voltage electric stoves and gas stoves, to traditional firewood-based methods.

Dhani Ram Sharma, who is supervising the char, says, “Before joining HPTDC, I worked as a boti (a traditional chef who prepares and serves food at weddings and religious functions) in my native Rampur in Shimla. When my seniors informed me that officials wanted to conserve gas while preparing lunch for around 550 people, including MLAs and the Chief Minister, during the Budget session, the traditional char was the first solution that came to my mind. In fact, officials had already decided to adopt this method, but were looking for someone experienced.”

The firewood is sourced from a nearby Forest Department depot at Kanlog. (Express Photo: Saurabh Parashar)

The char was prepared a day before the Budget session began on March 18. According to Sharma, while seven-eight LPG cylinders are typically used within three days during Assembly sessions, between March 18 and 20, “we have not even consumed one full commercial LPG cylinder.”

Finding the right wood is essential for properly cooking on the char, Sharma explains. “Char requires fuel wood, and no wood is better than baan (a tree with the scientific name quercus leucotrichophora). Although chir (pine) wood is abundantly available at government depots, we prefer baan because it produces less dense and less irritating smoke. Chir is useful for igniting and intensifying the fire, but the real taste comes when food is cooked over burning baan wood.”

The firewood is sourced from a nearby Forest Department depot at Kanlog. On March 17, nearly two quintals of wood were procured at a cost of around Rs 5,500, and the next consignment is expected soon, Sharma says. LPG cylinders are still being used to reheat dishes such as rajma, shahi paneer, and kadhi-madra before serving them at the Assembly.

Early morning start, revised menu

Cooking this way, however, is not an easy process, and preparations have to begin several hours in advance. Cook Ashwani Kumar explains, “Char requires more labour than an electric or gas stove. Moreover, it is not easy to work on it as it continually generates smoke. During the rains, smoke also doesn’t disperse easily [from the covered area in which it has been set up]… When we used LPG, we used to start working at around 10 am, merely a few hours before lunchtime. But now, we start at 7 am.”

After the food is prepared on the char at HHH, it is transported to the Assembly — about a kilometre away — one and a half hours before the usual 1 pm lunchtime. The food is then reheated on gas stoves in the Assembly kitchen before serving.

Although HPTDC officials said that the menu was reduced with the approval of the House Management Committee, some MLAs have expressed their appreciation for the move to cook using the char, describing the food as tastier and healthier.

BJP MLA from Bharmour, Dr Janak Raj, a former government physician, says, “Several studies suggest that food cooked on wood-fired stoves is healthier than food prepared in microwaves, gas, or electric appliances. From the very first bite, we could tell that the food had been cooked using traditional methods.” He also describes the method as more eco-friendly.

However, HPTDC director Rajeev Kumar is concerned that the LPG crisis may worsen in the coming months and hit tourism, which he describes as the “backbone of Himachal Pradesh’s economy”.

“While we have started adopting alternatives, the real test will come in May and June, when the summer tourist season peaks. The Assembly session will conclude in the first week of April, but the real question is whether we can shift all kitchens in government hotels to traditional stoves,” he says.

After revision, the menu at HHH, which once spanned 11 pages, has been reduced to just three. Several vegetarian and non-vegetarian items have been removed.

Nevertheless, Dhani Ram Sharma and his team remain determined. Cook Sunil Kumar ‘Chamba’ says, “We have to keep our corporation running. We cannot afford to let any tourist leave our hotels without food. It is not easy to cook for large numbers on char and chulha, but we are ready to work day and night.”

Deputy general manager of HHH, Ravinder Sandhu, says meals for large events such as Assembly sessions, parties, and weddings are now prepared using firewood. For smaller tasks, like making tea and heating milk, commercial induction systems are being used. However, the menu has been curtailed, and Chinese cuisine is currently not being prepared as it requires higher gas consumption, he says.