Shish Barak recipe is one of the most popular Palestinian traditional recipes, it is also popular in Levant countries, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. Shish Barak is more like small dumplings made with a simple dough filled with seasoned ground meat, usually lamb or beef, and cooked in jameed yogurt or regular yogurt-based sauce.
Shish Barak is one of the ultimate comfort food, and one of my favorites that most of my family members love, similar to other favorites, Jordanian mansaf, and another popular Palestinian dish musakhan.
What is Shish Barak?
Shish barak is simply a meat dumplings dish, consisting of homemade simple dough then stuffed with ground meat either beef or lamb, or a mixture of both, seasoned and cooked then stuffed in dough, and finally cooked in yogurt sauce.
This traditional dish Shish barak dumplings also pronounced shushbarak goes back to the 15th century. Shish Barak recipe with different variations are popular in other countries in the Middle East and Central Asia.
The dumplings are typically made from a mixture of ground meat, usually mixed with ingredients like onion, meat, and spices such as cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. The filling is then wrapped in small circles of dough made from flour, and water. The dumplings are usually sealed by folding the dough over the filling and pressing the edges together.
To prepare shish barak, the dumplings are first boiled or baked until they are cooked through. Meanwhile, a sauce is made by combining yogurt with minced garlic. The cooked dumplings are then added to the sauce and gently simmered for a short time to allow the flavors to meld together.
Shish Barak is often served as a main dish, either alone or accompanied by rice pilaf or bread. It is garnished with toasted pine nuts. The dish is known for its creamy and tangy yogurt sauce, which complements the savory meat-filled dumplings.
Shish Barak is a beloved comfort food in the Middle East and is enjoyed by many as a delicious and satisfying meal.
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Equipment
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Large Bowl - for making the dough
Rolling Pin - To roll out the dough
Small Round Cookie Cutter - for cutting the dough into small round shaped pieces
Pots - For cooking meat, yogurt and shish barak
Baking Sheet - For baking shish barak
Ingredients
Ground Meat - Beef or lamb work well with this recipe or a mixture of both.
Spices (allspice, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon) - The spices give the meat an extra flavor.
Onion - I like to use sweet white onion.
Garlic - Using crisped garlic with the yogurt enriches the taste of this dish.
Flour - I use all-purpose flour for making the dough.
Jameed - Readily available liquid jameed can be found at any Middle Eastern grocery store. Jameed provides this recipe with a more tangy rich taste.
Meat Broth - Enriches the taste of jameed yogurt.
Pine Nuts - Gives the dish an extra crunch and a nutty flavor.
Instructions
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Making the Dough
Step 1 | In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt for the dough. Gradually add warm water and knead until you have a smooth and elastic dough. You can use a hand mixer.
Step 2 | Cover it with a clean cloth and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.
Making the Filling
Step 1 | In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, add oil, chopped onion, and sauté until caramelized.
Step 2 | Add ground meat, ground cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Break ground meat with the back of the spatula, and sauté until meat is browned and fully cooked.
Making the Dumplings
Step 1 | On a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin roll out the dough to a thickness of about ⅛ inch.
Step 2 | Using a round cutter or a glass, cut out circles of dough about 2 inches in diameter.
Step 3 | Place a small amount of the filling mixture in the center of each circle (about ½ teaspoon).
Step 4 | Fold the dough over the filling into a half-moon shape and press the edges together to seal the dumpling.
Step 5 | Pinch the two ends together to close the dumpling similar to a tortellini shape.
Step 6 | Place all dumplings on a greased baking sheet.
Step 7 | Bake in a 400 F preheated oven for 10 minutes, until golden brown, or you can place them under the broiler for 2-3 minutes for a brownish look.
Making the Yogurt Sauce
Step 1 | In a separate pot, whisk jameed yogurt with meat broth.
Step 2 | Add baked dumplings to yogurt sauce, and let it simmer uncovered on low heat.
Step 3 | In a separate skillet heat olive oil or ghee and sauté crushed garlic until crisp, then immediately add over the yogurt mixture and integrate well with the mixture, dried mint can be added also.
Step 4 | Shish Barak served hot with sprinkled toasted pine nuts.
Substitutions and Variations
- You can boil the dumplings rather than bake them. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the dumplings for about 8-10 minutes, or until they are cooked through and tender. Remove them from the water using a slotted spoon and set them aside.
- You can use plain Greek yogurt or recommended goat yogurt instead of jameed. Blend plain yogurt in a blender with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch (for thickness).
- You can use dried mint on top of this dish
Pro Tips and Storage
- If you don't have a cookie cutter you can use a small coffee cup to cut the dough.
- Uncooked and baked dumplings can be stored in the freezer for future use.
- Cooked shish barak with yogurt can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. To serve, let it simmer in a pot on the stove over low to medium heat until heated thoroughly or heat in a microwave.
FAQ
Yes, a vegetarian shish barak option can be made, you use portobello or cremini mushroom instead of the meat. Follow the same steps as cooking the meat by replacing the meat with mushrooms.
No need to defrost them, just toss them over yogurt sauce and let them cook.
Joshpara is a kind of dumpling popular in Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and the Middle Josh means "to boil" while para is a term for "bit" in early Persian. This word was commonly used prior to the 10th century, when it was replaced by the modern Persian name gosh e-barreh, meaning "lamb's ear". The Arabic word shishbarak شيشبرك or shushbarak is thought to be derived from joshpara in pre-Islamic times.
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MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES
Shish Barak Recipe
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Stove and Oven
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Description
Shish Barak recipe is one of the most popular Palestinian traditional recipes, it is also popular in Levant countries, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. Shish Barak is more like small dumplings made with a simple dough filled with seasoned ground meat, usually lamb or beef, and cooked in jameed yogurt or regular yogurt-based sauce.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 cups of all purpose flour
- ¾ cup warm water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Meat
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ sweet onion minced
- ½ pound ground meat beef or lamb, or a mixture of both
- A pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2-3 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts (optional)
For jameed Yogurt
- 2 cups of jameed
- 3 cups of meat broth
- 3-4 crushed garlic + 1 tablespoon of olive oil or ghee
For Regular Yogurt (mix in a blender)
- 4 cups plain yogurt (preferably goat)
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt for the dough. Gradually add warm water and knead until you have a smooth and elastic dough. Cover it with a clean cloth and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, add oil, chopped onion, and sauté until caramelized.
- Add ground meat, ground cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt over caramelized onion. Break ground meat with the back of the spatula, and sauté until meat is browned and fully cooked and set aside.
- Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin roll out the dough to a thickness of about ⅛ inch. Using a round cutter or a small glass, cut out circles of dough about 1.5-2 inches in diameter.
- With a small spoon place a small amount of the filling mixture in the center (about ½ teaspoon).
- Fold the dough over the filling into a half-moon shape and press the edges together to seal the dumpling.
- Pinch the two ends together to close the dumpling similar to a tortellini shape. Repeat this process until all the dough circles are done.
- Place all dumplings on a greased baking sheet. Bake in a 400 F preheated oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown. For a more brownish look you can place them under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.
- In a separate pot, whisk jameed yogurt with meat broth. Add baked dumplings to yogurt sauce, and let it simmer uncovered on low heat for about 20 minutes.
- In a separate skillet heat olive oil or ghee and sauté crushed garlic until crisp, then immediately add over the yogurt mixture and integrate well with the mixture. Add dried mint.
Notes
- If you don't have a cookie cutter you can use a small coffee cup to cut the dough.
- You can use dried mint on top of this dish
- You can boil the dumplings rather than bake them. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the dumplings for about 8-10 minutes, or until they are cooked through and tender. Remove them from the water using a slotted spoon and set them aside.
- You can use plain Greek yogurt or recommended goat yogurt instead of jameed. Blend plain yogurt in a blender with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch (for thickness).
- Uncooked and baked dumplings can be stored in the freezer for future use.
Annie says
Thank you- this looks and sounds so good! I have eaten it, and been told how to make it, but your detailed descriptions and photos give me confidence that I too can make this scrumptious dish!
Wafa Shami says
You are welcome Annie. Great to hear, enjoy and let me know how it turned out.
Rama says
This looks so really good, thanks for the helpful step by step instructions.
Wafa Shami says
You're welcome!
Diana Almeida says
Hi Wafa, home many portions this recipe serves? 4, 6? Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Wafa Shami says
Hi Diana, I would say 4 if served alone and without rice. I hope you will enjoy this recipe.
Esmé says
This was so tasty! I am teaching my little brother about Palestine and we made this dish together for my family. Everyone loved it!
Wafa Shami says
Great, glad you all loved it and had fun making this recipe. Thanks for the support.
Travis says
Do you have a preferred broth type for this dish? Beef/Chicken?
Wafa Shami says
Hello Travis, I usually prefer to use meat (beef or Lamb) broth since I'm using meat in the stuffing. But you can use chicken if you prefer. Hope this is helpful!
Travis says
Thanks!!
Wafa Shami says
You are welcome!
Travis says
Hi Wafa, one note, in step 1 of the instructions, it doesn't say to add the olive oil to the dough. It does say olive oil in the ingredients though so I figured it was supposed to go in. (Totally new to this) Also just to check on the size, the most common small coffee cups here are slightly bigger than 3 inches in diameter. Is it 1.5 - 2 inches by a measuring tape, that's quite small? I'm worried I am going to cut them too big.Thanks for the great recipe and answering questions!
Wafa Shami says
Hi Travis, The oil in the ingredient list is for cooking the onion and meat—the dough itself doesn’t include any oil.
As for the size, they should be slightly larger than a tortellini. The measurement is just a guideline to give you an idea, but it’s not set in stone. I hope this helps!
Travis says
I cooked this Shish Barak recipe tonight and it was a huge hit with the whole family. Totally delicious. Thanks Wafa!!!
Wafa Shami says
I'm so glad to hear that Travis, that's awesome. Sahtain!