Cook: Ganesh Selvakumar, 10
Hometown: Broomal, Pa.
Some of the more elaborate dishes had the feel of a homemade helicopter at a science fair (one suspects the parents were involved), but Ganesh says the only thing his mom helped with was the clean-up. Kids may find it hard to be healthy, he says, if they eat a lot of fast food. “The oil makes it more tasty to everyone,” by his estimation. The rising fifth grader’s advice to those lured by McDonald’s: try to make simple recipes at home instead.
Ganesh’s inspiration: “I got hungry after school one time, and my mom has a lot of lentils and spinach. So I took some lentils and spinach and some spices. I tried about two times making the lentil soup. Then I got it just right.”
Ingredients:
For the mint chutney:
-
1/2 cup soaked dried split chickpeas
-
1 teaspoon olive oil
-
2 cups packed fresh mint leaves
-
1 cup chopped onion
-
2 fresh green chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
-
1 clove garlic, minced
-
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
-
1/2 cup water
For the lentil soup:
-
2 cups cooked red lentils
-
2 cups chopped spinach
-
1/4 cup chopped onions
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
-
6 cups water
-
1 teaspoon olive oil
-
2 fresh green chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
-
1/4 teaspoon mustard seed
-
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
-
Pinch of turmeric
-
Pinch of cumin seeds
Preparation:
Make the mint chutney:
-
In a medium bowl, soak the split chickpeas in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes. Drain the chickpeas and set aside.
-
While the chickpeas are soaking, in a small sauté pan over low heat, warm the oil. Add the mint, onion, green chiles, and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool. Transfer to a blender, add the tamarind paste and salt along with the soaked chickpeas and ½ cup water and blend to make a paste.
Make the lentil soup:
-
In a large saucepan over moderate heat, combine the red lentils, spinach, onion, and salt and cook for 10 minutes. Add the 6 cups of water, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
-
While the soup is simmering, in a small sauté pan over low heat, warm the oil. Add the green chiles, mustard seed, crushed red pepper, turmeric, and cumin seeds and toast, stirring, until the mustard seeds pop, about 2 minutes. Stir the spice mixture into the soup, divide the soup among bowls, and top with the mint chutney.
352 calories; 23g protein; 58g carbohydrates; 4g fat (.5g saturated fat); 452mg sodium
Makes 6 servings