In my long career writing about kosher cooking, I have been focused on finding lost recipes. But recently, a recipe found me.

Hanukkah begins on the evening of November 28, after a long weekend of cooking and eating (and cleaning) for Thanksgiving. I will be with my grown children and grandchildren. Of course, we will most likely have latkes and brisket. But even the most loyal latke lovers don't want to eat hash browns every night during the holidays, let alone tidy them up when they are ready. (Of course I don’t like washing dishes.)

Nevertheless, the holidays still need something festive and fulfilling. Therefore, when my grandchildren and I heard several mothers discussing recipes on the playground, my ears stood up. One person mentioned a simple dumpling stewed chicken she found on the Internet.

I was inspired! And immediately thought of a main dish: Mazo Ball Soup. In this season, I think, when young parents are so stretched, why not make a simple and hearty one-pot meal? You can replace dumplings with unleavened bread, then put plump chicken and delicious vegetables in the pot to make a meal of soup and stew.

I made it in a few days, adding fresh ginger and nutmeg to the German Jewish traditional unleavened bread balls. Herbs such as parsley or cilantro were also found in ancient Yemeni and Persian Jewish chicken soups to brighten the broth.

The whole stew is placed in a pot and can be made one day in advance. Fortunately, chicken soup and matzah balls that have been discovered in some form for thousands of years and loved by children and adults can improve standing. All you have to do is to heat up this thick soup.

Total time: 1 hour and 30 minutes, plus 3 hours of cooling

1. Start stewing: Place a large (5 quart) heavy pot on medium-high heat, add oil, then add onion, celery, and radish, and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cover with 5 cups of water, or enough to almost cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, then simmer for about 30 minutes to remove any floating scum. Let cool, cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours, but preferably overnight. Scrape off the surface of the soup and reserve 2 tablespoons of chicken fat for use in unleavened bread mixing balls. Freeze any remaining fat for next use. (If you want, you can use 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil instead.)

2. At the same time, mix the unleavened bread balls (at least 3 hours before eating): In a large bowl, mix the eggs, essence or oil, stock, unleavened bread powder, nutmeg, ginger and parsley. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a little pepper. Cover and refrigerate to cool, about 3 hours, or overnight.

3. About 45 minutes before serving, complete the stew: Break the chicken pieces into large pieces by hand, then peel off the skin and bone. Return the chicken to the pot, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and add the carrots and peas. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add a heavy spoonful of unleavened bread mixture to the top of the soup. (You should have about 18 balls.) Cover with a lid and simmer until the matzo balls are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Top with fresh dill or parsley and serve.