| Gondi | |
| Alternate Name: | Ghondi, gundi, Persian matzo ball soup |
| Country: | Khorasan, Esfahan and Tehran |
| Region: | Persian Jewish |
| Creator: | Persian Jews |
| Course: | Appetizer or side dish |
| Type: | Soup |
| Served: | Hot |
| Main Ingredient: | Chickpea flour, chicken, or turkey, or sometimes (ground lamb, grated onions, cardamom, garlic, sometimes turmeric, dried lime |
Gondi (go-n-dee), sometimes spelled as ghondi, or gundi,[1] is a Persian Jewish dish[2] of meatballs[3] made from ground lamb, veal or chicken[2] traditionally served on Shabbat. Dried lime is sometimes used as an ingredient.[4] Gondi are served as part of chicken soup served on Shabbat and other Jewish holidays, similar to their Ashkenazi Jewish counterpart matzo balls.
They are also sometimes served as a side dish, or as an appetizer. Accompaniments are Middle Eastern bread and raw greens such as mint, watercress, and basil.[5]
The origin of Gondi is not known with certainty, as the Jewish community residing in various cities in Iran are said to have originated it, but it is commonly said to have first been made in the Jewish community of Tehran. Due to the expense of the meat, it was a specialty for Shabbat. It is one of the few dishes credited to Iranian Jews. Gondi is also a popular dish among the Mountain Jewish population.[5] [6]
Generally larger than matza balls, gondi, named after a "bawdy euphemism for a certain part of the male anatomy", are served for the Purim meal of Persian Jews in Israel. It's also an alternative to matza balls for Passover.[7]
Gondi recipes typically include some form of ground meat, chickpea flour[2] (which may be prepared using toasted chickpeas), shredded onions, ground cardamom, and salt.