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    Home » Recipes » Persian

    Gondi (Persian Chickpea Dumpling Stew with Chicken)

    Published: Jan 7, 2017 Modified: Oct 29, 2019 by Candice

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN RECIPE

    A Persian-Jewish Shabbat hors d'oeuvres that I love to enjoy as a hearty meal. With dumplings made from ground chicken and chickpea flour, this recipe from my mother holds a sweet spot in my heart. I hope you feel the love when you make it yourself.

    Top view of a bowl of gondi with chickpeas and garnished with dill.

    Chicken & Chickpea Dumplings - Step by Step with Photos

    Flatlay with labeled ingredients for chickpea dumpling stew.

    For this chickpea dumpling stew, you will need the following ingredients:

    • 1 lb. ground chicken or dark meat turkey or beef
    • 4 chicken legs
    • 6 oz. chickpea flour
    • 1 yellow onion grated
    • 1 yellow onion peeled and quartered
    • ¼ cup flavorless oil like canola, avocado, or sunflower seed
    • 1 tbsp matzo meal panko, or breadcrumbs
    • 16 oz. canned chickpeas rinsed (optional: peeled)
    • 2 bay leaves
    • ½ tsp ground cumin
    • ½ tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp Cumin seed
    • Salt and pepper
    • Optional: fresh herbs for garnish

    The Simple Chicken Broth

    Bring 6 cups of water and the chicken legs to boil. As foam builds, skim the top with a slotted spoon. Foam doesn't always build, but remove it if it does.

    Stock pot with chicken and vegetables.

    Immediately lower the broth to a simmer. If you boil it on high boil, the chicken with get tough. Add the cumin seed, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, bay leaves, and quartered onion. Let the chicken simmer ~20 minutes. After 20 minutes discard the bay leaves, quartered onion, and any built-up foam like you see around the edges in the photo above.

    Making Chickpea & Chicken Dumplings

    Mix the ground poultry, grated onion, ½ cup water, ¼ cup oil, matzo meal, ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, salt, pepper, and chickpea powder. Mix thoroughly without over-mixing. The mixture should be soft and elastic.

    Bowl filled with meatball ingredients.

    When the chicken broth is ready, remove the chicken from the pot. That way, there is plenty of room for the dumplings to cook. You will add the chicken legs back to the broth later. Bring the water back to a rolling boil.

    Make golf ball size balls from the ground poultry mixture. Add to the boiling broth. At this point, you can freeze the dumplings on the baking sheet, and when frozen, transfer to a sealable container. Keeps in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    Meatballs lined up on a baking sheet.

    Add the chickpeas to the broth. Bring to boil. Now, add the chicken legs back to the pot. Lower to a simmer and simmer 30-40 minutes.

    Dumplings and chickpeas in a soup bowl.

    How to Serve Gondi

    Enjoy as a chickpea stew, served with basmati rice or as a chickpea soup without the rice. I sometimes garnish with fresh herbs to add a pop of color since it's a bland-looking dish, despite all the packed flavor.

    More Chickpea Recipes

    If you love chickpeas as much as I do, you'll love these other chickpea recipes:

    • Chickpea & Fennel One-Pan Chicken
    • Cilantro & Jalapeño Hummus
    • Paprika Fish with Chickpeas & Potatoes

    More Persian Recipes

    Check out all my Persian recipes here, and these are some of the blog favorites:

    • Ghourmeh Sabzi (Green Herb & Beef Stew)
    • Choresh Beh (Quince & Plum Beef Stew)
    • Basmati Rice
    Print Recipe
    5 from 14 votes

    Gondi

    A traditional Persian-Jewish Shabbat hors d'oeuvres that I like to enjoy as a hearty meal. Made from ground chicken and chickpeas, this recipe from my mother holds a sweet spot in my heart.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 10 mins
    Course: Main, Main Course
    Cuisine: Jewish, Persian
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 731kcal
    Author: Candice

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb. ground chicken or dark meat turkey or beef
    • 4 chicken legs
    • 6 oz. chickpea flour
    • 1 yellow onion grated
    • 1 yellow onion peeled and quartered
    • ¼ cup flavorless oil like canola, avocado, or sunflower seed
    • 1 tablespoon matzo meal panko, or breadcrumbs
    • 16 oz. canned chickpeas rinsed (optional: peeled)
    • 2 bay leaves
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
    • 1 teaspoon Cumin seed
    • Salt and pepper
    • fresh herbs for garnish (optional)

    Instructions

    • Bring 6 cups of water and the chicken legs to boil. As foam builds, skim the top with a slotted spoon.
    • Lower to simmer. Add the cumin seed, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, bay leaves, and quartered onion. Let the chicken simmer ~20 minutes. After 20 minutes discard the bay leaves and quartered onion.
    • In the meantime, mix the ground poultry, grated onion, ½ cup water, ¼ cup oil, matzo meal, ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, salt, pepper, and chickpea powder. Mix thoroughly without over-mixing. The mixture should be soft and elastic.
    • When the chicken broth is ready, remove the chicken from the pot. Bring the water back to a rolling boil.
    • Make golf ball size balls from the ground poultry mixture. Add to the boiling broth.
    • Add the chickpeas to the broth.
    • Bring to boil. Add the chicken back to the pot. Lower to a simmer.
    • Simmer 30-40 minutes.
    • Garnish with your favorite herbs (optional). Noush-ie-jan!

    Video

    Notes

    The texture of the ground mixture should be elastic and soft. 
    Serve with basmati rice or enjoy as a soup.
    I prefer using ground dark meat. It has more flavor and fat.
    You can freeze the gondi dumplings on a baking sheet. When frozen, transfer to a sealable bag or container. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 731kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 505mg | Potassium: 1345mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 94IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 6mg
    Did you try this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and/or comment! And tag @ProportionalPlate on TikTok or Instagram... I'd love to see what you're making.

    This post was originally published in January of 2017, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, and tips October of 2019.

    « Khoresh e Beh (Persian Quince & Plum Stew)
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    184 shares

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    1. Cheryl

      October 22, 2022 at 1:29 pm

      Need advice please. My Gondi is very soft. I did 1lb of ground turkey to about 11/2 cups of chickpea flour plus onion and spices. Do I need more or less flour to make the valleys little harder? Thank you! My mother in law was the best Persian cook and unfortunately she has passed on.

      Reply
      • Candice

        October 22, 2022 at 5:11 pm

        Hi Cheryl... I suggest trying my recipe, but until then... your gondi needs less of the chickpea flour. If it is falling apart, it can also be because you did not fully squeeze out the liquid from the onion. Good luck and I hope this helps!

        Reply
    2. Dan

      November 09, 2021 at 4:45 pm

      Dear Candice,
      Thank you for being here and advising us.
      This is the first time that I will try to make it with lamb, all advice is welcome.

      BTW, We are small community here in Copenhagen, your all welcome to pass by or you have any question 🙂

      Reply
      • Candice

        November 11, 2021 at 8:41 am

        Hi Dan,
        It helps if you use ground meat that is twice-ground, meaning it is run through the grinder twice.
        Welcome, and let me know if you have any other questions 🙂

        Reply
    3. CBB

      April 13, 2021 at 11:22 am

      Do you mean freezing after being formed uncooked or cooked? If uncooked, do you have to increase the time for cooking? I've made gondi before and it would be a real time saver to be able to freeze them uncooked.

      Reply
      • Candice

        April 13, 2021 at 12:32 pm

        I freeze them after being formed. I place them on a lined baking sheet then put the whole sheet in the freezer. Once they are frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer bag.
        They usually need a little longer, but no more than 10 minutes more.
        It's a huge time saver... enjoy!

        Reply
        • Ruth

          June 26, 2021 at 5:18 am

          So they are frozen formed but uncooked (raw) - just want to be sure.

          Reply
          • Candice

            June 27, 2021 at 9:17 am

            Hi Ruth! I am not sure I understand your question... You form them into balls out of the raw mixture. Then, if you plan to freeze them, you do so raw on a baking sheet. Hope this helps! If not, please clarify.

            Reply
    4. TxPepper

      March 11, 2020 at 2:20 pm

      Do you mean "keeps in the freezer for three months"?

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Candice

        March 14, 2020 at 1:50 pm

        Yes, exactly.

        Reply
    5. Marilynn Walker

      December 03, 2019 at 12:39 pm

      5 stars
      Chickpeas were new to me. Your step by step instructions are perfect for an “emerging” cook. The pictures help also. Very tasty and fun to serve.

      Reply
      • Candice

        December 03, 2019 at 2:00 pm

        So glad you enjoy this recipe... And a great one to keep in the freezer so it's ready to go!

        Reply
    6. SHANIKA

      November 11, 2019 at 9:52 pm

      5 stars
      I love chickpea! This stew was amazing! I love the combo of chickpea and dumplings!

      Reply
      • Candice

        November 17, 2019 at 12:10 pm

        So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Shanika!

        Reply
    7. Veena Azmanov

      November 11, 2019 at 9:26 pm

      5 stars
      A flavorful dish. Special and perfect for a unique and Happy meal. My family loved it and will be making agian.

      Reply
      • Candice

        November 17, 2019 at 12:09 pm

        Glad to hear, Veena!! Thanks for letting me know 🙂

        Reply
    8. Chelsey

      November 11, 2019 at 9:00 pm

      5 stars
      These chicken and chickpea meatballs are so flavorful! I love the idea of serving in broth for a hearty and comforting soup. Definitely served it's purpose and more. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Candice

        November 17, 2019 at 12:09 pm

        Glad to hear, Chelsey... there's nothing like a great, cozy soup on a cold day 🙂

        Reply
    9. Anita

      November 11, 2019 at 8:41 pm

      5 stars
      I've never had this before, but we have a very similar dish in Indonesia called bakso ayam kuah (chicken meatballs soup). It's really interesting to see how different countries can have a very similar dish. 🙂 Naturally, I had to make it... it was so different, and just as delicious.

      Reply
      • Candice

        November 11, 2019 at 8:49 pm

        That is so cool, Anita... thanks for sharing this with me! I'll have to try your Indonesian version, for sure. I haven't met an Indonesian dish I didn't like... so I'm excited!

        Reply
    10. Beth

      November 11, 2019 at 8:41 pm

      5 stars
      These look incredibly good! We love trying new dishes at home and I never heard of this one! It was so easy to make and the meatballs are so very fluffy. Looking forward to making it again.

      Reply
      • Candice

        November 11, 2019 at 8:50 pm

        That makes me so happy to hear, Beth... This is an adaptation of my mom's recipe... and one I love to make any time I'm craving some comfort food!

        Reply
        • Sonya Poss

          August 18, 2022 at 3:04 pm

          I was wondering, I didn't see the amount of powdneeded for the recipe

          Reply
          • Candice

            August 19, 2022 at 10:44 am

            Hi Sonya, This recipe uses 6 oz. of chickpea flour.

            Reply

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    Meet Candice

    On this blog, I get to share the food that I love, and get to enjoy in my own home. My Persian Jewish heritage influences most of my recipes, and my travels inspire them. And I'm sure you'll notice my love for everything matcha. Welcome, and enjoy!

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    Meet Candice

    On this blog, I get to share the food that I love, and get to enjoy in my own home. My Persian Jewish heritage influences most of my recipes, and my travels inspire them. And I'm sure you'll notice my love for everything matcha. Welcome, and enjoy!

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