Shish Barak is one of those dishes that instantly feels like home. Tiny dumplings filled with seasoned meat, gently cooked in warm yogurt sauce—it’s the kind of meal that brings comfort before you even take the first bite.
It’s a recipe many of us grew up seeing made with care, usually as a family effort. Someone rolling the dough, someone filling the dumplings, someone watching the yogurt sauce. It takes a little time, but that’s part of what makes it special.
The contrast is what makes it unforgettable: delicate dumplings filled with savory meat, wrapped in soft dough, all coated in rich, tangy yogurt infused with garlic and mint.
Shish Barak (Lebanese Yogurt Dumplings)
Description
Traditional Lebanese Shish Barak made with spiced meat dumplings simmered in creamy garlic yogurt sauce. Comforting, authentic, and perfect for family meals.
Ingredients
🥟 Dough
🥩 Filling
🥣 Yogurt Sauce
To finish
Instructions
-
Prepare the dough
Mix flour, salt, oil, and water until a smooth dough forms.
Cover and rest.
-
Make the filling
Heat oil in a pan.
Cook onion until soft, then add meat.
Season with salt, pepper, seven spices, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Cook until browned and dry. Let cool.
-
Shape the dough
Roll dough thinly.
Cut small circles using a cutter or cup.
Place a little filling in the center, fold into half-moons, then roll it around your finger to form classic Shish Barak shapes.
-
Bake the Shish Barak
Arrange on a tray and bake at 180°C until lightly golden.
-
Prepare the yogurt
In a pot, whisk yogurt, cornstarch, salt and water until smooth.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly in one direction until it begins to simmer.
-
Finish the dish
Add baked dumplings to the yogurt sauce.
Simmer gently for 10–15 minutes.
-
Add topping
Heat butter, add dried mint and minced garlic.
Pour over the Shish Barak before serving.
Note
💡 Tips for Best Results
- Keep stirring yogurt constantly until it heats to prevent splitting.
- If yogurt splits, use an immersion hand blender to blend everything.
- Cool filling before stuffing dough
- Don’t overfill dumplings
- Bake dumplings first so they hold shape in sauce
