Thai/Chinese cooking with bursts of flame and everything

[seans_potato_business]

I want to know about that cooking in a pan where there are big, fun bursts of flame. I know it's the oil (I'm not talking about flambé) and it needs to be hot, but I don't know how hot nor why the ingredients don't just burn onto the pan. Which oils more inclined than others to do this?

 

[Jeff G.]

I want to know about that cooking in a pan where there are big, fun bursts of flame. I know it's the oil (I'm not talking about flambé) and it needs to be hot, but I don't know how hot nor why the ingredients don't just burn onto the pan. Which oils more inclined than others to do this?

That is usually the giant wok. What burns is just the fumes. Once they flash off, the flames die out. Usually peanut oil is used as it is a high temp oil with a nice flavor.