Persian Gondi Recipe (Chicken & Chickpea Dumplings)
Gondi originated in the Iranian Jewish community, where it remains an important dish, particularly as a staple of Shabbat dinners. Shabbat, observed every Saturday, is a day of rest, holiness, and celebration. Gondi is also prepared for special occasions, such as holidays. It can be enjoyed as a side dish, appetizer, or entrée and is typically served with flatbread and fresh greens like mint.
Ingredients
- Ground chicken – 1 lb
- Chicken legs - 4
- Chickpea flour – 6 oz.
- Yellow onion grated - 1
- Yellow onion peeled, quartered - 1
- Flavorless oil like canola – ¼ cup
- Breadcrumbs – 1 tbsp
- Canned chickpeas, rinsed – 16 oz.
- Bay leaves - 2
- Cumin – ½ tsp
- Turmeric – ½ tsp
- Cumin seed – 1 tsp
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Bring 6 cups of water and the chicken legs to boil. As foam builds, skim the top with a slotted spoon.
- Lower the heat to a simmer then add the cumin seed, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, bay leaves, and the quartered onion.
- Let the chicken simmer for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes discard the bay leaves and the quartered onion.
- In the meantime, mix the ground chicken, grated onion, ½ cup water, ¼ cup oil, breadcrumbs, ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, salt, pepper, and chickpea powder.
- Mix thoroughly without over-mixing. The mixture should be soft and elastic.
- When the chicken broth is ready, remove the chicken from the pot. Bring the water back to a rolling boil.
- Make golf ball sized balls from the ground chicken mixture.
- Add them to the boiling broth.
- Add the chickpeas to the broth.
- Bring back to a boil.
- Add the chicken back to the pot.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 778kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 71gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 299mgSodium: 489mgFiber: 9gSugar: 8g
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