Gondi: Persian Chickpea Chicken Meatball Soup
Persian Soup with Gondi is a heartwarming dish deeply rooted in Persian Jewish cuisine, featuring flavorful chicken meatballs made with chickpea flour and aromatic spices. These Gondi meatballs are simmered in a fragrant broth of saffron, chickpeas, and golden fried onions, creating a comforting and wholesome meal. While the preparation is a bit time-intensive – including soaking the chickpeas and hand-forming the meatballs – the result is a rich, savory soup that will nourish your soul. Served over a bed of rice with tender meatballs, this dish is perfect for a cozy family meal or a special occasion.
Equipment
Large stockpot (6-quart / 6-litre minimum)
Medium saucepan for chickpeas
10-inch / 25cm frying pan (for onions)
Fine mesh sieve
Small cup or bowl for saffron blooming
Food processor or box grater (for grating onion)
Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
Soup Ingredients
1 gallon chicken stock - 4 litres; broth or bouillon- 10.5 oz dried chickpeas - 300g, garbanzo beans
- 1 cup long-grain white rice - 185g, basmati recommended
1 large yellow onion- 1 pinch saffron threads - approximately 3-5 threads, for the broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pinch salt - to taste
Gondi Meatballs Ingredients
1.1 lb ground chicken - 500g, minced chicken
1 ¼ cups chickpea flour - 150g, besan/gram flour- ½ cup olive oil - 120ml
- 1 pinch saffron threads - approximately 3-5 threads, for the meatballs
1 teaspoon white pepper - ground
1 teaspoon cardamom - ground
1 teaspoon turmeric - ground- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large yellow onion - finely grated
Instructions
- Soak the chickpeas for 8–10 hours (or overnight) in cold water. Drain, place in a saucepan with 1 litre / 4 cups fresh cold water, and bring to a boil. Drain again. Repeat this boil-and-drain process two more times (three times total). This removes excess starch and ensures the chickpeas cook evenly.10.5 oz dried chickpeas
- Cover the chickpeas with 2 cups / 480ml boiling water, add a pinch of salt, and simmer over low heat for 45–60 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.10.5 oz dried chickpeas, 1 pinch salt
- Peel the onion and cut into thin rings. Preheat a frying pan with olive oil, then fry the onion over medium heat, stirring, until golden brown, 5–7 minutes.1 large yellow onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- In a stockpot, heat the broth, add fried onions and chickpeas, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a minimum.1 gallon chicken stock, 10.5 oz dried chickpeas, 1 large yellow onion
- Put the saffron for the soup and the gondi in a small cup and add 2 tablespoons of hot broth. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Pour half of the saffron infusion (including the threads) into the broth. Reserve the other half for the meatball mixture.1 pinch saffron threads, 1 pinch saffron threads
- Prepare the gondi: Finely grate the onion or pulse in a food processor until smooth. In a large bowl, combine the grated onion, ground chicken, chickpea flour, reserved saffron infusion, olive oil, salt, white pepper, cardamom, and turmeric. Wet your hands and mix thoroughly until evenly combined. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes — this firms the mixture and makes shaping easier.1.1 lb ground chicken, 1 1/4 cups chickpea flour, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 pinch saffron threads, 1 teaspoon white pepper, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 large yellow onion
- With wet hands, shape the mixture into meatballs slightly smaller than a tennis ball (about 6cm / 2.5 inches in diameter). Handle gently — do not compress or pack the mixture tightly, as a light touch keeps the gondi tender.
- Increase the heat slightly until the broth reaches a gentle boil. Carefully lower the meatballs into the broth one at a time. Once the broth returns to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1½ hours. The meatballs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F / 74°C.
- While the soup simmers, cook the rice according to package directions (or steam 1 cup / 185g long-grain rice in 1½ cups / 360ml water for 15–18 minutes). To serve, place a mound of rice in each bowl, add 2 meatballs, and ladle the broth with chickpeas over the top.1 cup long-grain white rice
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate broth and meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Store cooked rice separately — it absorbs broth overnight.
Freezing: Freeze meatballs and broth (without rice) for up to 2 months. Cook fresh rice when serving. Rice turns grainy when frozen and thawed.
Make-Ahead: Form the meatballs and refrigerate up to 24 hours before cooking. The overnight chickpea soak is required regardless, so plan accordingly.
Substitutions: Canned chickpeas can replace dried — drain, rinse, and add directly to the broth. Ground turkey works as a 1:1 swap for ground chicken.
Pro Tip: Wet your hands generously before shaping each meatball and avoid compressing the mixture. A light touch keeps the gondi fluffy rather than dense after the long simmer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 939kcalCarbohydrates: 97gProtein: 48gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 1378mgPotassium: 1864mgFiber: 13gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 64IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 7mg
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