Persian Gondi on Fridays

a comforting way to kick-off Shabbat

Every Friday growing up I would have a comforting bowl of gondi, a Persian chickpea and turkey meatball that’s flavored with cardamom and served in a rich chicken broth. It is a very popular and beloved dish in the homes of many Jewish Persian families like mine. Some weeks it was served for lunch before Shabbat began or as an appetizer for Shabbat dinner.

These days, I like to cook gondi and serve it with crispy tahdig (Persian crispy rice) for my family. When I’m in a pinch I like to make the rice in my trusted Persian rice cooker. It creates a beautiful tahdig crust and fluffy rice with the touch of button.

Watch me cook the gondi with tahdig here.

Shabbat Shalom,

Arielle