Saints, Feast, Family
- Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring -
September 6
Saint of the day:
Prophet Zechariah
Prophet Zechariah
Zechariah was of the tribe of Levi and was born in Babylon during the Babylon captivity. He returned from exile to Judea as an old man shortly before the dedication in 515 BC of the rebuilt temple. Zechariah is called the son of Berechiah in his book, (Zechariah 1:1). Therefore, the Prophet Zechariah is sometimes identified with the prophet who was killed between the temple and the altar (Mt. 23:35; Luke 11:51). When the days of his prophesying were ended, Zechariah died in peace and was buried among the graves of other prophets.
Writing
The Book of Zechariah contains in its first eight chapters, six chapters of nocturnal visions concerned with the return from exile and two chapters that address the question whether the days of mourning for the destruction of the city should be kept any longer, and an encouraging address to the people, assuring them of God's presence and blessing. In chapters nine through fourteen, the book presents two "oracles" or "burdens", one in chapters nine through eleven that outline the course of God's providential dealings with his people down to the time of the coming of the Messiah, and the other oracle, chapters twelve through fourteen, point out the glories that await Israel in "the latter day", the final conflict and triumph of God's kingdom. Among scholars, there is controversy concerning the authorship and unity of the book. The Ethiopian Synaxarium relates on Yekatit 15 that Zechariah prophesied the coming of the Lord into Jerusalem, riding upon an donkey.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zechariah_(Hebrew_prophet)
https://bibleproject.com/learn/zechariah/
Prayer
Visit
Tomb of the Prophets
Mount of Olives, Jerusalem
Recipe
Gondi (Iranian Jewish Chicken Meatball Soup)
Gondi is a soup made with meatballs in broth sprinkled with fresh herbs, often served for Friday night Shabbat in Iranian Jewish households. This classic soup is composed of cardamom-perfumed meatballs and fragrant, turmeric-based broth and the spices give it a depth and unique warmth. Nutrient-rich chickpea flour—a common ingredient in Iranian dishes—making the meatballs tender and satisfying.
Ingredients
Meatballs
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1 medium yellow onion
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1 pound ground chicken
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1 teaspoon ground cardamom
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¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
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½ teaspoon kosher salt
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½ teaspoon ground pepper
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2 - 4 tablespoons warm water
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1 cup chickpea flour
Broth
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2 dried limes (limoo Omani), rinsed (see Tip), or 2 tablespoons lime juice
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4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
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4 cups water
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½ teaspoon ground turmeric
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¾ teaspoon kosher salt
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¼ teaspoon ground pepper
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¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
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Fresh herbs, lavash, lime wedges, radishes & scallions for serving
Directions
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To prepare meatballs: Grate onion. Leaving the onion juice behind, transfer the onion to a large bowl. (Discard the juice.) Add chicken, cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; combine well.
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Place warm water in a small bowl next to you. Add chickpea flour to the chicken mixture in batches, mixing with your hands. The mixture will be sticky at first; add 2 to 4 tablespoons of the water and keep kneading until the mixture doesn't stick to your hands, about 3 minutes. Divide into 6 equal portions. With wet hands, roll each portion into a ball and place on a plate or a small baking sheet. Refrigerate the meatballs, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
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Meanwhile, prepare broth: If using dried limes, very carefully pierce them in a couple of spots with the tip of a paring knife.
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Combine broth and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and add the dried limes (or lime juice), turmeric, salt and pepper; stir and simmer for 2 minutes.
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Carefully add the meatballs to the broth and return to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, stirring and gently squeezing the limes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through, about 1 hour. Remove from heat. Discard the limes. Stir in parsley.
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To serve, ladle about 2/3 cup broth into each bowl and add a meatball. Top each bowl with some herbs and serve with lavash, lime wedges, more herbs, radishes and scallions on the side, if desired.
Tip: Boiled then sun-dried, dried limes resemble walnut shells and have a savory, tart flavor. (The darker the color, the more potent they are.) Buy them at Middle Eastern markets or online.
