adventures in the kitchen

i almost died today.

ok, that's an exaggeration.  but i almost burned down my house.  

i decided to make thai peanut sauce and rice for dinner tonight.  i lit my gas stove and was heating the oil while i finished chopping the onions and garlic, and i guess the flame was a bit too big, or i took a bit too long, but the oil in the pan got REALLY hot and started smoking, and then LIT ITSELF ON FIRE.  

i had this huge pot, on a gas stove, with 1-2 foot flames shooting out the top of it.  

and of course no fire extinguisher.

i turned off the gas.  and hoped the oil would burn itself away and the fire would go out, but it just kept getting bigger and bigger.  my house was filling with smoke.

and i was panicking.

i know you aren't supposed to put water on a grease fire, but i had no idea what else i could use to put out this growing flame.  so finally, i just grabbed the pan and BOLTED to the front door and LAUNCHED it into the yard.  

it was raining outside, so soon enough, the fire went out.  my metal pan was halfway melted, and now i am nursing a (minor) blister on my thumb too.

i am just thankful my house is still standing.

and i'm grateful for the lack of smoke detectors, honestly.  my neighbors didn't need to be any more aware of this incident than seeing a melty black pan laying in the grass.