Matzoh Ball Soup, Vietnamese Flavors

Matzoh Ball Soup, Vietnamese Flavors

Matzoh Ball Chicken Soup, Vietnamese Flavors (Pho)

Yes, of course, I still make my traditional matzoh balls… hundreds of them in fact. But I also like to mix it up a bit, and surprise my guests with some exotic flavors… such as my mysterious Saffron Matzoh Balls, super-flavorful Mexican Matzoh Balls, and the Thanksgiving/Hanukkah Poultry-Seasoned Turkey Matzoh Balls. Those fancy Fried Matzoh Balls from Passover 2021 were an outrageous hit, too.

This year the inspiration comes from Pho Ga, that fragrant herby Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup. Here, matzoh balls are subtly spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and ginger and stand in for the rice noodles. The chicken broth is flavored with blackened onion and ginger, lemongrass, and star anise where the smoky-salty-sweet-umami layers are simply intoxicating.

Matzoh Ball Chicken Soup
Vietnamese Flavors Recipe

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Turkey Matzo Ball Soup

Turkey Matzo Ball Soup

Turkey Soup with Poultry-Seasoned Matzo Balls
Egg Noodles, Peas, Carrots, Shredded Turkey

A blend of thyme, sage, black pepper, marjoram, rosemary and nutmeg – this traditional Thanksgiving seasoning adds a unique savory flavor to my Hanukkah matzoh balls.

When Hanukkah falls right after Thanksgiving on the calendar, a special opportunity arises. Here, we are merging the best flavors and recipes of both holidays…With this seasoning, the matzoh balls have a taste reminiscent of turkey!

Turkey Soup with Poultry-Seasoned Matzo Balls Recipe

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Fried Matzo Balls – Fancy Style

Fancy Fried Matzo BallsFried Matzo Balls

Fancy Style
Caviar, Sour Cream, Hard-Cooked Egg Yolk, Chives

If you’re making lots of matzo balls for Passover, roll a few more and…OMG fry some! You and your family will be delirious with these morsels of deliciousness. It’s worth the extra effort and second step to fry them to get a golden crispy crust and then adorn with some fancy toppings.

Fried Matzo Balls Recipe

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Mexican Matzo Ball Soup

Mexican Matzo Ball Soup

Mexican Matzo Ball Soup

Cilantro Matzo Balls with Toasted Coriander and Cumin
Chicken Soup with Avocado, Jalapeño, Lime, Onion, Cilantro

The holiest of Jewish holidays, Yom Kippur ends at sunset tonight. This evening we break the fast with something simultaneously traditional and nontraditional: matzo ball soup with an unexpected twist!

Mexican flavors including cilantro, coriander, and cumin bring a bright zippy freshness to our beloved soup. No soup could be better than Nana’s, but this year things are mighty different, so why not the soup? 5781, the year we served our matzo ball soup with avocado, jalapeño, and lime!

Mexican Matzo Ball Soup Recipe

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Chicken Soup with a Big Comforting Matzo Ball

Chicken Soup with a Big Comforting Matzo Ball

Chicken Soup with a Big Comforting Matzo Ball

If this were a normal Passover, I would be in Chicago right now with 15 lbs. of brisket in the oven, a huge pot of chicken soup on the stovetop, plus some 100 matzo balls in production, prepping for a  fabulous multi-course meal for my family and friends as I have done for the past two decades.

Since, unfortunately, this is not a normal Passover. I am in Las Vegas, not Chicago. And I’m not cooking a multi-course meal for thirty-five, I’m cooking for one. Just a nice bowl of my chicken soup with a big comforting matzo ball.

Happily, in spite of the global pandemic, we’ll still be holding our Seder and holding tight to tradition. We will all Zoom in on the internet at sundown on Wednesday to retell the Passover story of how we were slaves in Egypt before God led us to freedom with signs and wonders. Each year at Passover we go on a journey in our hearts from slavery to freedom and from sadness to joy. This year is no different in that respect.

Big Matzo Ball Recipe and Matzo Ball Secrets

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