Shish Barak-style lamb dumplings in garlic yoghurt sauce

Tiny wheat dumplings filled with spiced minced lamb, simmered in a fragrant garlic and yoghurt sauce finished with mint and butter — Lebanese comfort food at its finest.

Ingredients

• For the dough: 200 g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 60 ml water
• 1 tsp olive oil
• For the filling: 200 g lamb mince
• 1 small onion, very finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• For the yoghurt sauce: 500 g Greek yoghurt
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• For the topping: 30 g butter
• 1 tsp dried mint
• 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper or paprika

Method

1. Make the dough. Mix flour and salt. Add egg, water and oil and knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Wrap and rest for 20 minutes.

2. Make the filling. Mix the lamb, onion, cinnamon, allspice, pepper and salt. Fry a pinch in a pan to check seasoning; adjust.

3. Roll and fill. Roll the dough 2 mm thick. Cut into 4 cm circles. Place 1 tsp filling in each, fold into half-moons and pinch the edges to seal.

4. Make the yoghurt sauce. Whisk yoghurt, garlic and cornflour together in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 8-10 minutes until thickened and gently bubbling. Do not boil or it will split.

5. Cook the dumplings. Drop them into salted simmering water for 6-8 minutes until they float and the filling is cooked through. Lift out with a slotted spoon and add to the yoghurt sauce. Simmer together for 5 minutes.

6. Top. Melt the butter in a small pan until foaming, add the mint and Aleppo pepper, and pour over the shish barak. Serve with rice.

Notes

Lebanese grandmothers disagree on the shape — half-moons, tortellini, even flat rounds all appear. The flavour is the same.