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Recipes

Shish Barak (Meat Dumplings in Yogurt Sauce)

Small meat-filled dumplings simmered in a garlicky yogurt sauce — a labor of love that represents Palestinian hospitality.

6 servings (default)

Ingredients

Servings
6
  • For the dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup warm water
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • For the filling:
  • ½ lb ground lamb or beef
  • 1 small onion, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp pine nuts, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp ground allspice
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • For the yogurt sauce:
  • 4 cups plain yogurt (full-fat, room temperature)
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp dried mint, crushed
  • 2 tbsp ghee or butter
  • Salt to taste
  • For garnish:
  • Toasted pine nuts
  • Fresh mint or cilantro
  • Paprika

Method

  1. 1

    Make the dough

    30 min

    Mix flour and salt. Add water and oil gradually, kneading until you have a smooth, firm dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

  2. 2

    Make the filling

    Mix ground meat, minced onion, chopped pine nuts, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. The mixture should be very fine.

  3. 3

    Form the dumplings

    Roll dough very thin (about 1/16 inch). Cut into 1.5-inch circles. Place a tiny amount of filling (about 1/4 teaspoon) in the center of each circle. Fold into a half-moon and seal edges. Bring the two corners together and pinch to form a tiny tortellini shape. This is traditional but you can also leave them as half-moons.

  4. 4

    Cook the dumplings

    5 min

    Bring salted water to a boil. Cook dumplings in batches for about 5 minutes until they float. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Some fry them lightly in ghee after boiling for extra flavor.

  5. 5

    Prepare the yogurt sauce

    In a large pot, whisk room-temperature yogurt with cornstarch slurry. This prevents curdling. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to steam and thicken slightly. Do not let it boil. Add minced garlic and salt.

  6. 6

    Combine

    10 min

    Gently add the cooked dumplings to the yogurt sauce. Simmer on very low heat for 10 minutes.

  7. 7

    Finish

    In a small pan, heat ghee until very hot. Add crushed dried mint and let sizzle for a few seconds. Pour this sizzling ghee-mint mixture over the yogurt sauce.

  8. 8

    Serve

    Garnish with toasted pine nuts, fresh herbs, and a sprinkle of paprika. Serve with rice on the side.