This dish, known widely as Shish Barak, is one of those projects you save for a Sunday afternoon when you have a bit of patience. It’s essentially the Middle Eastern answer to tortellini: tiny meat-filled dumplings, baked until crisp, and then bathed in a warm, garlic-infused yogurt sauce.
I’ll be honest about the dough—the original recipe called for a full cup of water for two cups of flour, but in my kitchen, that turned into a sticky soup. I’ve adjusted the instructions to add the water gradually; humidity changes everything, and you want a dough that is soft but workable, not something that sticks to your rolling pin. The result is incredibly comforting—the crunch of the baked dough softening just slightly in the tangy, creamy sauce is a texture you can’t get any other way.
Ingredients
The Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ to 1 cup warm water (approx. 110°F) – add gradually
The Meat Filling
- 1.1 lb (500g) ground beef or lamb
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
The Yogurt Sauce
- 2.2 lb (approx. 4 cups) plain whole milk yogurt
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp cold water
- 1 egg yolk (helps prevent curdling)
- 1 tsp salt
- To Finish: 4 cloves minced garlic and 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Make the Dough: Mix the flour and salt. Add the warm water slowly—don’t dump it all in at once. Mix until you have a shaggy mass, then dump it onto a floured counter. Knead for about 5 minutes until it feels smooth and elastic. Cover it with a damp towel and let it relax for 30 minutes. If you skip the rest, the dough will fight you when you try to roll it.
- Cook the Filling: Brown the meat in a skillet with the oil. You want the liquid to evaporate so the filling isn’t soggy. Add the onions, garlic, and spices. Cook until the onions are soft. Crucial step: Let this mixture cool completely before using. If you put hot meat on raw dough, the dough will melt and tear.
- Shape the Dumplings: Roll the dough out thinly (think pie crust thickness). Cut circles about 2-3 inches wide. Place a teaspoon of meat in the center, fold over into a half-moon, seal the edges tight, and wrap the two corners around to meet (like a little hat or tortellini).
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the dumplings on a baking sheet. Bake for 15–18 minutes until they are golden brown. This step prevents them from turning into mush in the yogurt.
- The Yogurt Sauce: While the dumplings bake, whisk the yogurt, water, egg yolk, salt, and cornstarch slurry in a pot. Turn the heat to medium. Stir constantly (don’t stop!) until it starts to bubble gently. The cornstarch and egg help stabilize it so it doesn’t separate.
- Combine: Drop the baked dumplings into the simmering yogurt. Cook together for about 5 minutes. The dumplings will absorb a little sauce but stay firm.
- Serve: Stir in the fresh garlic and parsley right at the end. Serve hot, traditionally with rice vermicelli or just by itself.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Texture Contrast: By baking the dumplings first, you get a “chewy” bite that holds up against the creamy sauce.
- Comfort Food: The warm yogurt is tangy and rich, which balances the heavy spices (cinnamon and cloves) in the meat.
- Scalable: You can freeze the baked dumplings before adding them to the yogurt for a quick meal later.
Chef’s Tips for Perfection
- Stirring the Yogurt: There is an old grandmother’s tale that you must stir the yogurt in only one direction to prevent it from splitting. While I’m not sure about the science, I do it anyway, and constant motion is definitely key.
- The Filling: Don’t overstuff the dough circles. If the seal breaks in the oven, you lose the juices.
- Dough Hydration: If your dough feels too dry after adding 3/4 cup of water, wet your hands and continue kneading. It’s better to add water slowly than to drown the flour.
Storage and Reheating
If you have leftovers, the dough will continue to soak up the yogurt and become softer the next day. It’s still delicious but less texturally interesting. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove; do not boil vigorously or the yogurt might break.
Nutritional Notes
This is a protein-heavy meal with calcium from the yogurt. To lighten it up, you can use lower-fat yogurt, but the sauce will be thinner and slightly more acidic.
(Stuffed Dough Dumplings in Creamy Yogurt Sauce – A Comfort Food Classic with Minced Meat)
