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Shish Barak

Name: Shish Barak
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2/3 cup warm water; 1/2 lb ground beef or lamb; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 1 tsp ground allspice; 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 4 cups plain yogurt; 1 egg; 2 tbsp cornstarch; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp dried mint

Little meat dumplings simmered in a silky garlic-mint yogurt sauce — the Lebanese answer to tortellini.

⏱ 1 hrPrep time

🔥 30 minCook time

🍽 6Servings

🏷 DinnerCategory

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Shish barak is the dish Lebanese grandmothers save for special occasions: tiny dumplings stuffed with spiced meat, baked or fried until golden, then simmered in a velvety yogurt sauce with garlic and dried mint. It is hearty, tangy, and unlike anything else on the table — a dish of patience, but every fold is repaid in flavor.

Golden dumplings in a silky, tangy yogurt bath

The dumplings are little workhorses — crisp-edged from their first bake, they soften slightly in the warm yogurt sauce while keeping their shape and a pleasant chew. The sauce is the star: yogurt stabilized with egg and cornstarch so it never curdles, brightened with garlic and mint until it is both rich and refreshing. For the best result, warm the sauce gently over low heat — never let it boil, or the yogurt will split. Serve shish barak in shallow bowls with the sauce spooned generously over, and a plate of rice or bread to catch every drop.

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Step by stepInstructions

Make the dough: stir the flour and salt together, add the olive oil and warm water, and knead into a smooth, soft dough. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
Make the filling: cook the onion in a small skillet with a splash of oil until soft, then add the ground meat, allspice, cinnamon, and pepper and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Cool.
Roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thick and cut into 2-inch rounds. Place 1/2 teaspoon of filling on each round, fold into a half-moon, and pinch the edges tightly. Fold the two corners together and pinch to form a little hat.
Arrange the dumplings on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F until golden, about 12 minutes.
Whisk the yogurt, egg, cornstarch, garlic, and dried mint in a large pot. Warm over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens and steams — do not let it boil.
Add the dumplings and simmer gently in the sauce for 5 minutes. Serve hot with rice or bread.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Do not let the yogurt sauce boil — an egg and cornstarch thicken and stabilize it, but a rolling boil will still make it split. The dumplings can be baked a day ahead and added to the sauce just before serving.

Recipe details

Prep1 hr

Cook30 min

Servings6

CategoryDinner

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Shish Barak

Golden dumplings in a silky, tangy yogurt bath

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

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Shish Barak

Golden dumplings in a silky, tangy yogurt bath

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

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Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

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