Stir It Up by Ramin Ganeshram Page A

shop. Mom, Deema, and I stand with the other two finalists in the greenroom, waiting to go out to the set.
    This time my opponents are a guy who looks to be sixteen and a girl about seventeen. I’m the youngest contestant.
    The guy, Randolph, has a Mohawk. His lip is pierced with three rings. He’s wearing black nail polish, a black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black apron. The girl, who is called Brooklyn but is actually from California, is blond and calls herself a surfer chick.
    Deema seems to be enjoying herself, talking a lot to Randolph, asking about his piercings.
    Mom keeps adjusting my clothes and hair.
    I’m nervous about this contest. It’s a market basket, right from the beginning. I’m not going to be able to cook something I’ve prepared before, and I’mworried all over again that the ingredients will be something I never cook, like beef or pork.
    Anyway, I’m not too sure what I would do if that happens. When I tell this to Deema she suggests that I prepare beef or pork the same way I’d make a dish with chicken. Good idea, but I still don’t feel confident.
    Brenda comes hustling in, outfitted with her microphone and black box.
    “Okay, contestants, this is it,” she says. “Follow me.”
    When we get to the studio, she shows the parents where to sit. The judges wave at us as we file past them. When we get to the kitchen area, we’re each assigned a station, same as before.
    Quade is ready with his mic in place, and before I know it, they’re counting down to filming.
    I look over at the judges. Daisy Martinez is there with Sam Vitelli and Connor Sebastian. They’re sitting forward, looking very eager. My head is starting to hurt.
    Quade is talking now, so I turn my focus to him.
    “Our finalists will be cooking an original creation from a list of secret ingredients we are about to reveal.” He pauses, then dramatically pulls a whitecloth off a tray of ingredients. There’s some reddish meat, red and green peppers, bacon, creole rice, and chilies. “The main ingredient our contestants will have to work with tonight is rabbit tenderloins! Don’t go away, folks. We’ll be right back as the kitchen heats up here on
Super Chef Kids
!”
    I feel dizzy, like I’m going to throw up. I never in my life thought of rabbit as anything but a cute fuzzy pet.
Rabbit?
I turn around so I’m not facing the judges and blow air out of my mouth.
What am I going to do with rabbit?
    Get ahold of yourself, Anjali,
I’m thinking. But the rabbit thing has thrown me for too much of a loop.
    I focus on the creole rice, which we make with chicken in my house. At least I know it can be adapted.
    “And we’re back for the final showdown between our young contestants,” Quade is saying. “The three young people — Anjali, Randolph, and Brooklyn — beat out some amazing young cooks from around the country to get here.”
    While Quade talks, I start to gather the ingredients I need from the refrigerator and the staples pantry.Peanut butter, onions, garlic, tomato. I start dicing the peppers. I add chopped onions for extra flavor.
    Randolph is stroking his chin and nodding before he dashes off and starts rummaging through his own pantry. Brooklyn is carefully sharpening a filleting knife.
    Quade is by my side, talking. “Anjali impressed the judges last time. Can she do it again?”
    Before I can say anything, he’s dashed off.
Good,
I think,
it’s easier to cook without him bugging me.
    I heat a heavy pot and add the chopped onions and pepper. I glance up at my mother and Deema, who look worried. I close my eyes and try to focus by concentrating on the smell the onions give off while they cook — sweet, pungent, soothing, reminding me of home.
    When the onions are soft, I add the bacon. I’m winging it now, based on what I’ve learned watching TV shows. I’ve never cooked bacon before. Quade is talking to Brooklyn, who is pounding what looks like the rabbit meat. At his station, Randolph has