Shish Barak (Beef Dumplings in Yogurt Sauce)
Ingredients
- Shish Barak Dough:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- ½ tsp white granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 ¼ - 1 ½ warm water (add slowly, depending on flour used more or less is needed
- Meat Filling:
- 1lb lean ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp all spice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Yogurt Sauce
- 1 tbsp oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
- 5 cups of plain yogurt
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 Tbsp of corn stretch
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt (as desired for taste)
- ½ tsp dried mint
- Garnishes:
- Toasted raw alonds pine nuts
- Dried mint
- Cilantrio and garlix mixture
Instructions
- Make Shish Barak dough: In your stand mixer, add all the dry ingredients expect water and mix. Then slowly, add oil and mix then slowly add water and mix to form a medium firm dough ball. Sprinkle with flour and cover with plastic or a damp kitchen towel and set aside for 2 hours to rest.
- Make Filling: in a skillet, add oil and cook meat for 2 minutes. Add onion and all your spices and cook until meat is fully cooked, and onions have softened.
- To make Shish Barak dumplings: Cut the dough in 4-6 portions depending on surface you have to roll dough out. On a flat surface, dust some flour and roll the dough into a thin sheet around 1.5mm thickness. Using a round cooking cutter or cup 1.5 – 2 inches round cut into circles. Or shape into small ball (tbsp) and shape individual with a rolling pin.
- Place a small amount of the filling in the center of the dough and fold to form (crescent shape) making sure to pinch the edges to seal the dumplings. Then in half again wrapping the center around your middle and pinching the ends together. Place on a non-stick oven sheet tray and repeat until done.
- Place in 350˚ oven and bake for 10 minutes or just light golden brown. Remove from oven and lightly brush with oil to remove any excess flour, plus they look better.
- To make yogurt sauce: In a large pot, add oil and cook garlic for 1 minute. Add chopped cilantro (make sure to remove an excess water) and cook with the garlic for 1 minute, remove into a small plate and set aside.
- In the same pot on medium heat, add cold yogurt, salt and dry mint and bring to a light boil, (making sure to keep stirring with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, or yogurt will split. Once it reaches a light boil, mix water and corn stretch together and add to yogurt while still stirring and bring back to a simmer, while always stirring. Remove from heat.
- To assemble your dish: place the cooked dumplings into a serving dish, pour the hot yogurt on top, garnish with dry mint, toasted almonds or pine nuts, cilantro and garlic mixture for a larger crowd. I like to make individual portions.
- Notes: This recipe makes 50-60 dumplings for a family 4-6. This recipe is a weekend dish as it’s time consuming, I like to double the recipe when I make this Once dumplings cool after baking, you can place in a Ziploc bag and freeze if you want to prepare for 2-3 members at a time.
