Allrecipes Cook to Follow: Shaurya from India

We teamed up with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® to mark this holiday season with inspiring stories from St. Jude patients who love to cook. Say hello to Shaurya!

About me: I'm Shaurya, 9 years old, and am from India. I am an affectionate child, well-mannered, intelligent, caring and respectful by nature. I adore my family and all my doctors and nurses at St. Jude. I love meditation and playing with my sister.

My favorite foods: Mostly Indian homecooked vegetarian meals like steamed Basmati rice. My favorite holiday foods are kebabs and biryani. I don't like French fries or tater tots.

My favorite recipe: An Indian snack called golgappa. [Editor's Note: Shaurya's video has been delayed. Don't miss the recipe demos from Reed, and Smyrna.]

What I like to make: Eggs, cakes, noodles, and Indian snacks.

A typical family dinner: Roti, lentils, a dry vegetable, fresh yogurt, salad, and curry. I love to cook.

My favorite holiday to cook for: Diwali, our Festival of Lights that is our most significant festive holiday period. We cook several traditional Indian dishes.

My best holiday memory: This was a vacation at my friend's home in Lonavala in the Western Ghats in India. We went trekking, played in the tree house, and ate delicious snacks.

When I grow up, I want to be: An author, a scientist, an inventor, but most importantly want to do something by which I can help St. Jude.

My favorite things to do: I love reading all types of books. I love building Legos using my own imagination, not the Lego book. I enjoy writing short stories (I published one and have two in process).

If I could have a superpower: I'd find a single shot to cure all types of cancer. No pain and no nausea of chemo.

My closest thing to an actual superpower: I can run very, very fast. I can do whatever I put my heart and soul to.

My favorite food from St. Jude: I enjoyed steamed momos (dumplings).

How I describe St. Jude: It's a place where you can sit back, relax, and be assured you getting the best possible care in this world.

My advice for kids going through what I did: Don't identify yourself with your illness. Talk to your disease in your mind like a character in a play; tell it "I am stronger and will win." Enjoy the smallest things around. Hug and love yourself.

The best advice I ever got: Believe in yourself.

The best advice I ever gave: "Divine light; divine might"—I chant this all the time.

Allrecipes is thrilled to be teaming up with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® in support of its lifesaving mission: Finding cures. Saving children.® We hope you will Join Allrecipes in Supporting St. Jude, giving generously, to help kids like Shaurya, Reed, and Smyrna. Read their inspiring stories—and then give what you can by simply clicking the donate button.