Persian "Matzoh Balls" with Chickpeas and Chicken (Gondi)

Persian "Matzoh Balls" with Chickpeas and Chicken (Gondi) is a gluten free and dairy free main course. This recipe covers 31% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. One serving contains 467 calories, 29g of protein, and 16g of fat. This recipe serves 6. A mixture of vegetable stock, grapeseed oil, limes, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so delicious. To use up the sea-salt you could follow this main course with the Raspberry Sea Salt Brownies as a dessert. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes about 45 minutes.

Instructions

To make the matzoh balls, puree the onions in a food processor.

Ingredients you will need

Matzo

Onion

Equipment you will use

Food Processor

Transfer to a large bowl, and whisk in the egg, garlic, cardamom, turmeric, oil, 2 teaspoons salt, and several grinds of pepper.

Ingredients you will need

Cardamom

Turmeric

Garlic

Pepper

Salt

Egg

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Whisk

Bowl

Mix in the chickpea flour and chicken to form a thick paste. Cover and store the dough in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours, to firm up.

Ingredients you will need

Chickpea Flour

Whole Chicken

Dough

Wet your hands with cold water and break off walnut-size pieces of the dough.

Ingredients you will need

Walnuts

Dough

Water

Roll them into smooth balls, to make a total of 30 balls.

Ingredients you will need

Roll

In a large stockpot, bring the 12 cups stock and 2 teaspoons sea salt to a rapid boil. Carefully drop the dumplings into the stock. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 50 minutes without opening the pot. When ready, the gondi will be firm in the center.

Ingredients you will need

Sea Salt

Stock

Equipment you will use

Pot

Remove them with a slotted spoon. The cooking stock can be strained and used for the soup broth, or reserved for another use.

Ingredients you will need

Stock

Soup

Equipment you will use

Slotted Spoon

In a second stockpot, combine the 8 cups stock, carrot, and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Pierce the limes several times with a fork and add them to the stock along with their soaking water. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Chickpeas

Carrot

Lime

Stock

Water

Equipment you will use

Pot

Add the herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the lemon juice just before serving. Divide the gondi among soup bowls, ladle the broth over the top, and serve.

Ingredients you will need

Salt And Pepper

Lemon Juice

Broth

Herbs

Soup

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Ladle

Vegetarian Option

Use 1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu in place of the chicken.

Ingredients you will need

Firm Tofu

Whole Chicken

Drain and press the tofu well, then pulse in a food processor until coarsely ground to the consistency of ground meat.

Ingredients you will need

Ground Beef

Tofu

Equipment you will use

Food Processor

Louisa Shafia's first cookbook, Lucid Food: Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life, was nominated for an IACP award. She has cooked at notable restaurants in New York and San Francisco, including Aquavit, Pure Food and Wine, and Millennium. Her recipes have appeared in New York magazine, Yoga Journal, Food Network Magazine, and Every Day with Rachael Ray. Look for Louisa on the Cooking Channel's Taste in Translation series, and visit her at www.lucidfood.com.

Ingredients you will need

Wine