Matzoh Balls
No book has informed my Jewish cooking more than Joan Nathan’s “Jewish Holiday Kitchen.” Her recipe inspires my matzoh ball recipe here in “Koshersoul.” I prefer schmaltz to vegetable oil, but if you want pareve or vegetarian matzoh balls, use the latter and use pareve “chicken” consommé broth.
There is a saying in Yiddish cooking that a stuffed matzoh ball or one that isn’t plain has a neshamah, or a soul. I hope these count.
Michael Twitty’s second book “Koshersoul” explores the links between Black and Jewish culinary traditions with conversations, personal essays and recipes, including a matzoh ball gumbo.
From his food memoir “Koshersoul,” Michael Twitty’s okra gumbo recipe is a vegetable-forward take on the classic Southern dish. With the addition of matzoh balls, it makes a perfect plate for Passover.
For the Kitchen Pepper: Mix all ingredients thoroughly; store in a cool, dry place. Keeps for six months.
Make the matzoh balls: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the eggs. Stir in one egg at a time with a wooden spoon until all four eggs are incorporated. Refrigerate a few hours or overnight.
Bring an 8- to 10-quart pot of salted water to a boil. Wet your hands with warm water and form the mixture into balls the size of walnuts. Drop into the boiling water, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. The matzoh balls should be fluffy and float on top. Remove with a slotted spoon to bowls of hot chicken soup or okra gumbo.
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