Generally diesel, LPG, kerosene oil is used for cooking purposes. The cost of these fuels are rising day by day, besides generation of carbon dioxide is inevitable. Carbon dioxide is one of the main causes of Global Warming. New International Laws are getting more and more rigorous about carbon dioxide generation. In fact it will be more easier to avoid carbon dioxide generation than spend on its treatment as per international regulations.
Solar cooking systems has the answers to these problems.

There are two basic methods adopted in Solar Cooking-:

1. Direct Solar cooking method  

In this method all cooking processes viz. frying, cooking, boiling, steaming including preparation of roti, chappati, puri, dosa, pizza, bhajiya, vada, tadka etc. are easily possible. In fact fully loaded pressure cooker of 23.5 litre capacity can be ready in 12 minutes. The primary reflector facing south is a 16 sq metres parabolic dish fitted with around 400 mirrors. They reflect and concentrate the sunlight onto the secondary reflector. The concentrated sunlight is then deflected by the secondary reflector onto the cooking vessel placed inside the kitchen. Temperature at the focal point can reach upto 930 degrees centigrade.
 
The primary reflector automatically tracks the sun throughout the day to achieve highest efficiency. This direct cooking system is ideal to cook fodd for upto 100-125 persons per day. Additional advantage of the system is that the solar heat during non cooking hours can be used for heating water for various applications.   


2. Indirect Solar  Steam Cooking Method

This is an ideal cooking method for 500 people and more. In this system the parabolic concentrators are placed in pairs (facing North and South) to form an array. These pairs concentrate heat from both sides. The water in the receiver gets converted to steam, with pressure of 12-16 bars and accumulates in the steam header. The high pressure steam is dropped to a safe limit of 1 -1.2 bars in the pressure reducing station. This reduced pressure steam is then transported to steam cooking vessels of adequate capacity. Rice gets cooked on an average in 8-9 minutes. Dal gets cooked in 9-12 minutes. Vegetables within 4-6 minutes. The variation in quantity does not have much effect in time taken to cook.