Dreaming of tomatoes and lemons? Chefs tell us how to reduce grocery bills and cook thriftily during inflation

Rising inflation is clearly burning a hole in the pockets of city-dwellers. As basic food ingredients turn more expensive with every passing week, Mid-day Online asked city chefs for affordable cooking hacks

Image for representational purpose only. Photo: istock

How does one cook a regular meal with the prices of kitchen staples rising by the day? It is almost impossible to avoid using tomatoes, an integral part of India’s diverse cuisine, but its price has been oscillating between Rs 60 and Rs 80 per kilo. But Indians are known to find cheaper ways to achieve the same results and things are no different in the kitchen. To help beat the food inflation blues, we invited home and restaurant chefs to part with their favourite thrifty cooking hacks.