Shish Barak
شيش برك·(sheesh ba-rak)
Teta's Hands: Weekend Prep for Weekday Eating
There is no shortcut to the soul-deep comfort of Shish Barak, but there is a system. This is a dish that demands the collective hands of a family around a flour-dusted table on a Sunday afternoon, folding tiny meat-filled hats. The secret to making it work on a random Tuesday in an Ohio suburb is the freezer. We stick to the authentic tenets: unfermented dough, pre-cooked spiced meat, and the meticulous, unyielding continuous stir of the yogurt stew. No yeast, no raw meat shortcuts, and absolutely no Greek yogurt. Just honest, unapologetic Levantine flavor, stabilized by science and crowned with a sizzling garlic finish.
Before you start
Mix and rest the unfermented dough.
In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and salt. Drizzle in the olive oil and gradually add the warm water, kneading until smooth and elastic, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
Cook and completely cool the spiced meat filling.
Heat the ghee in a skillet over medium-high heat, sautéing the minced onion until translucent, then add the ground meat and cook until no pink remains and the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the seven spice, salt, pepper, and toasted pine nuts, then transfer to a wide bowl to cool so the hot meat doesn't tear the raw dough.
Fold the dumplings into traditional tortellini-like shapes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll a quarter of the dough out to 1/16-inch thick and stamp out circles with a 1.5-inch cutter. Place a scant half-teaspoon of cooled filling in the center, fold into a half-moon and pinch shut, then bring the two corners together and pinch to seal.
Flash freeze the dumplings for weeknight readiness.
Arrange the folded dumplings on a flour-dusted, parchment-lined baking sheet so they don't touch, and freeze for two hours until rock solid. Transfer to a heavy-duty freezer bag for storage.
Ingredients
- all purpose flour2 cup
- whole wheat flour1/2 cup
- kosher salt1 tsp
- olive oil1 tbsp
- warm water3/4 cup
- ghee1 tbsp
- yellow onion1 med
- lean ground beef or lamb1 lb
- pine nuts1/4 cup
- Lebanese seven spice1 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- whole milk plain yogurt6 cup
- labneh or sour cream1/2 cup
- cold water3 cup
- cornstarch3 tbsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- ghee1 tbsp
- garlic4 clove
- fresh cilantro1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Whisk the cold yogurt base off the heat.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, vigorously whisk the cold plain yogurt, labneh, cold water, and cornstarch until completely smooth.
- 02
Execute the continuous stirring ritual.
Place the pot over medium heat and stir slowly, continuously, in one direction without stopping until the yogurt reaches a gentle, rolling boil. If you walk away or stop stirring before it boils, the yogurt will separate and curdle.
- 03
Boil the frozen dumplings in the stabilized yogurt.
Once boiling, stop stirring, stir in the salt, and immediately drop the frozen dumplings directly into the stew. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes until they float and the dough is tender.
- 04
Sizzle the garlicky aromatic finish.
While the dumplings simmer, melt the ghee in a small skillet over medium heat and sauté the mashed garlic for just 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the chopped cilantro, cook for 10 seconds, and immediately remove from the heat.
- 05
Crown the stew and serve immediately.
Pour the sizzling garlic and cilantro mixture directly into the yogurt stew, give it one gentle stir, and serve in deep bowls alongside plain vermicelli rice.
Notes
The whole wheat flour is a non-negotiable family secret.
Cutting the all-purpose flour with a little whole wheat prevents the dumplings from puffing up into soggy, bloated sponges when boiled.
Avoid Greek yogurt at all costs.
Greek yogurt lacks the necessary whey content to create the proper consistency for this stew. Stick to standard, full-fat plain yogurt, supplemented with a little labneh for authentic Levantine tang.
Pre-bake for extra structural insurance.
If you're worried about the dumplings unraveling in the violent boil of the yogurt, bake them at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes until barely golden before sending them to the freezer.
From Cook Lebanese in America.