squash soup with gondi

This recipe is the result of my travels and fascination with the Sephardic kitchen, combined with an American classic: butternut squash soup. This recipe is a melange of Jewish influences and in some ways, reflects the diversity that is Israeli cuisine. The hawaj, which lends a depth of exotic spice and warm nuance, is a staple of Yemenite soups that can be enjoyed in the Kerem Teimanim (Yemenite neighborhood) of Tel Aviv. Cilantro and coriander seed add a citric tone and contrast to the Gondi dumplings, a staple on every Persian Jewish family’s Shabbat table. Gondi dumplings are made from chickpea flour and ground chicken and are the Sephardic rival to the Ashkenazi matzo ball.

The base of this soup is butternut squash, but it is delicious with whatever pumpkin or squash is available and to your liking.

Recipe:

Soup:

½ butternut squash, peeled and diced

1 large yellow or white onion, diced into large pieces

Garlic, 4 cloves

1 baking apple, peeled and diced into large pieces

Hawaj, 1 tbsp

Black pepper, ½ tsp

Coriander seed, ½ tsp

Mustard seed, ½ tsp

Cilantro, ½ bunch

Cumin, ½ tsp

Olive oil, 4 tbsp

Salt, to taste

Water

Gondi:

Chickpea flour, ½ cup

Ground chicken, ½ lb

1 large yellow onion, grated

Turmeric, ½ tsp

Cumin, ½ tsp

Cardamom, ½ tsp

Salt and pepper to taste

Cube squash, apples, onion, and garlic and toss with spices and olive oil.  Arrange on cookie pan or oven pan and roast in oven for about 40 minutes at 400 degree heat, or until vegetables are slightly roasted, but not dried out. While the vegetables are roasting, mix the ground chicken with chickpea flour, spices, grated onion and salt. With oiled hands, form the dough into walnut-sized balls.

After vegetables are roasted, put them into a large pot and combine with 2 cups of water to start with, let boil, then add the Gondi dumplings and simmer for 1.5 hours.  Remove the dumplings, add the cilantro, and with an immersion blender blend for about 5 minutes.  You probably need to add more water than your intuition might tell you!  Then return soup to the stove and heat, adding water for the right consistency (a bit thicker than a chicken soup). Return the dumplings to the soup and serve.