Shish Barak (Stuffed Dumplings in Yogurt Sauce)
A beloved Levantine dish featuring small, savory dumplings filled with spiced minced meat, simmered in a tangy yogurt sauce. It's a celebratory and comforting meal.
🧂 Ingredients
- 3 cups All-purpose flour(plus more for dusting)
- 1 cup Warm water(approximately)
- 1 tsp Salt
- 500 g Ground lamb or beef
- 1 medium Onion(finely chopped)
- 1 tsp Allspice
- 0.5 tsp Cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp Black pepper
- 0.5 cup Pine nuts(toasted, for garnish)
- 1 kg Plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch or flour
- 4 cloves Garlic(minced)
- 2 tbsp Butter or ghee
- 1 tsp Dried mint
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Gradually add warm water, mixing until a firm dough forms. Knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 37 minutes💡 Tip: The dough should be firm but pliable. - 2
Prepare the filling: In a bowl, combine ground meat, chopped onion, allspice, cinnamon, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
💡 Tip: Ensure the spices are evenly distributed. - 3
Roll out the dough thinly on a lightly floured surface. Cut into small squares or circles (about 2-3 inches in diameter).
💡 Tip: Keep the dough covered to prevent drying. - 4
Place a small amount of filling in the center of each dough piece. Fold the dough to enclose the filling, creating a small dumpling. Pinch the edges firmly to seal, forming various shapes (e.g., half-moon, small purse).
💡 Tip: Ensure dumplings are well sealed to prevent filling from escaping. - 5
Prepare the yogurt sauce: In a large pot, whisk together yogurt, cornstarch (or flour), and minced garlic. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and just begins to simmer. Do not boil vigorously.
⏱️ 15 minutes💡 Tip: Constant stirring is crucial to prevent the yogurt from curdling. - 6
Carefully add the prepared dumplings to the simmering yogurt sauce. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through and float to the surface.
⏱️ 20 minutes - 7
While dumplings cook, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet until golden brown.
💡 Tip: Watch pine nuts closely as they burn easily. - 8
In a small pan, melt butter or ghee over medium heat. Add dried mint and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 minute💡 Tip: Be careful not to burn the mint. - 9
Serve the shish barak hot, ladled into bowls, topped with the mint-infused butter/ghee and toasted pine nuts.
💡 Tip: Garnish generously for presentation and added flavor.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For a smoother yogurt sauce, you can temper it by whisking a ladleful of hot sauce into the yogurt mixture before adding the dumplings.
- ✓If you find making the dumplings too time-consuming, you can use store-bought wonton wrappers, though the texture will differ.
- ✓Leftover dumplings can be frozen on a tray before adding to the sauce, then cooked directly from frozen.
🔄 Variations
- Add a pinch of nutmeg to the meat filling.
- Serve with a side of vermicelli rice.
- For a richer sauce, add a dollop of sour cream along with the yogurt.