Today's guest post is a fun book review from my 10 year old daughter, Alexia. Hope you enjoy her post. She had a blast writing it and putting everything together.
I just read the book
Stir It Up by Ramin Ganeshram. The book is about a Trinidadian girl named Anjali Krishnan who has "a soul" to cook. Her best friend is an American boy, Lincoln or Linc. She has to take a big test, but ignores it so she can go to the try out's on Super Chef Kids to win your own cooking show. She uses Trinidadian foods in her recipes throughout the book. For example, she uses cassava, curry and more exotic foods.
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| Author Ramin Ganeshram, photo from Brooklyn Book Festival |
Anjali is brave and does not give up her dream, even when things are tough. And she loves her grandma, just like I love my grandma.
This book makes you very hungry, no joke. So make sure you read this book on a full stomach! The recipes in the book are the best.
My favorite recipe was Spicy Fried Channa (chickpeas) because the ingredients chickpeas and onion powder sound mouth-watering!
Here's the recipe from the book:
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup canola oil
1 fifteen-ounce can chickpeas, drained and dried in a salad spinner or with paper towels.
1.In a small bowl, whisk together the black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt, and onion and garlic powders. Set aside.
2.Heat the oil in a deep frying pan on medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer reaches 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or until a pinch of flour dropped in to the pan sizzles.
3. Carefully add the chickpeas by gently spooning them into the frying pan using a long-handled metal spoon. Place a splatter screen over the frying pan. The chickpeas will splatter and pop quite a bit while frying.
4. Allow the chickpeas to fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until their outsides begin to look golden brown. Remove the chickpeas from the pan using a slotted spoon and place them on a large tray lined with paper towels.
5.When all the chickpeas are fried, place them in a deep bowl and add the spice mixture, stirring well so that all the chickpeas are coated. Allow to cool. Serve as a snack.
Makes 4 Servings
After I read this book I was inspired to cook all the recipes especially Spicy Fried Chickpeas! I asked my mom to make something every night for dinner, and I helped. They taste like delicious exotic food. I love to try new things.
If I were on a cooking show, it would be called "Culture Cooking". I would cook different foods from all around the world. For example I would cook, Mexican, Russian, Mediterranean, Japanese, and French food. I would cook daily, at 12:00p.m.
I love to cook!
You should buy
Stir It Up for all ages beacause this book is very adventurous and funny, and the recipes are very savory. You can make all the recipes in the book.
Thanks to
Ramin Ganeshram for sending a copy of the book to me. This book is part of the book fair at my school this week and I told all of my friends to get a copy for themselves. :)
Love,
