HONEY & CO
Each spring, Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich’s take on Persian dumplings, gundi sabzi, appears on the menu of their Fitzrovia restaurant Honey & Co. ‘Eating this is a delight,’ say the chefs. ‘The dumplings are cloud-like and warm with spice, and the chicken broth tastes of dried Persian limes.’ The soup is served alongside sabzi – a platter laden with fresh herbs and crunchy radishes. helena lee
GUNDI SABZI
Makes 16 dumplings
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SOUP 8 to 10 chicken wings (about 600g) 3 dried Persian limes, cut in half 4 celery stalks, whole 2 carrots, peeled and cut lengthways 1 onion, peeled and halved 1 tsp whole peppercorns 1 tsp whole fennel seeds 1 tsp whole coriander seeds 1 tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp salt
FOR THE DUMPLINGS 500g minced chicken thighs 3 onions, puréed in a food processor or grated (300g) 100g garam (chickpea) flour 60ml vegetable oil 1 tsp ground cardamom pods 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp white pepper
METHOD
Bring all the soup ingredients to the boil in three litres of water. Skim and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for an hour, then turn off the heat and let sit for an hour. Strain the soup, retaining the liquid, but discarding the vegetables and the wings. Return the liquid to the pan. Mix the dumpling ingredients together to form a loose dough. Divide using wet hands and form into 60-gram balls. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Bring the broth back to the boil, then with damp hands drop in the dumplings. Return to the boil, then lower the heat, cover and let simmer for 50 minutes. Serve three dumplings a person with some soup, fresh herbs and finely sliced radishes.