Almost a Serious Accident!

[Andy M.]

Last night I was getting dinner ready. I had defrosted some butter chicken to go with basmati rice and a veggie.

When I do rice like this, I add some oil to the water and bring it to a boil before adding the rice. I brought the water to a boil just as SO got home from work. She wanted to relax for a bit before dinner so I turned off the burner and we went to sit and chat for a while.

Later, she went to shower and I restarted the water to boil for the rice. The water seemed to be taking a long time to boil. I was just standing there waiting for it to boil so I could add the rice and set the timer.

Then, without warning, there was a loud explosion! The lid flew off the pot and went flying across the kitchen floor and there was boiling oily water everywhere. How it missed me I have no idea but I’m sure glad it did.

Once my heart slowed down, I realized what had happened. The oil covered the surface of the water and temporarily kept it from bubbling as boiling water normally would. Pressure built up until it suddenly blew.

That got me to thinking. I do this all the time except for the stopping and reheating part and have never had a problem. Package directions always tell you to bring the water to a boil before adding the oil/butter. Now I understand better why that’s so.

Words to the wise…

 

[FrankZ]

Thanks for recounting that.

In times of old sailors would spread oil on the water during storms to calm the seas down. Amazing what a thin film of oil can do on water.

 

[Kayelle]

Ykies, I would have never thought that !! Thanks for the heads up Andy, and glad you're ok !

 

[Josie1945]

Andy, Glad you are ok That is scary!!!!

Josie

 

[Robo410]

super heated water. I've heard of that happening in a microwave, but...wow...

 

[pacanis]

I have heard of this but had forgotten all about it.
Thanks for bringing this up.
And wow... that really could have been serious if you were peering over. That must have scared the heck out of you.

 

[jennyema]

WOW!

Glad you're ok and thanks for the lesson!

 

[Claire]

Ooo Nooo. I've had similar things happen in the nukulator when the simple surface tension of the water will keep it from actually coming to a boil until you touch it, then it can explode. But I've never though twice about adding the oil first to stuff like couscous or taboule mixes. I'll be careful in the future.

Different subject, similar experience. Exploding light fixtures. One time I was 13 or so, my mom in the hospital, an infant sister. She fussed or it was feeding time or something, and I picked her up and walked away, and the light fixture above her playpen exploded. I can't think what the result would have been if I'd been too busy to pick her up at that moment. I had something similar happen here, but luckily no one was upstairs when the light exploded (the fixture calls for three 60w lightbulbs and is totally enclosed, so since it's just a hall light, nothing I need to read by, so I only put in 2 bulbs). So ... be careful to not put in light bulbs more than the fixture specifies, and then still be careful, especially if it is an enclosed fixture in an old house (where the electricity can fluctuate more than in modern buildings).

I'm glad you weren't scalded.

 

[mollyanne]

That's new to me...whoa
Glad you're still with us.
I'll never do that now.

 

[Barbara L]

I'm glad you're ok Andy--how scary! Thanks for letting us know, so that we will hopefully not have the same thing happen!

Barbara

 

[babetoo]

thanks for the warning. so glad you are o.k.

 

[Alix]

Holy moly Andy! I'm glad you are ok! What a scary experience!

 

[chopper]

My son is a chemestry major, and he has told me that this could happen, but have never actually heard a story quite like yours. I am so glad that you are OK. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us who have that attitude of "it wouldn't happen to me!"

 

[spork]

Whoa! I'd never heard of such a thing.
For my sake, I'm glad you posted, Andy.
And for your sake, thank goodness!

 

[joesfolk]

Does it seem to anyone one else that we hear a lot of exploding kitchen stories these days? I never remember my mom relating any experiences like that. I wonder if it has something to do with the chemistry of modern kitchens versus say 50 years ago. Just wondering.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Gosh Andy! Close call, thank goodness you are okay!

 

[LPBeier]

Oh my, Andy!!! I am so glad you are okay. I will definitely make note of that!

 

[cookingfan7]

The first time I heard thanks for warning, I'm glad you're ok!

 

[Skittle68]

This is the first I've heard of something like this too! Thanks for the info!