Shish- Barak (Beef Dumplings w/ Greek Style Yogurt)
This dish is a special request from one of my readers.
Shish-barak is an old traditional Arabic dish that is varied a little from country to country in Middle East. The dumplings are made different by sometimes frying them, baking them, or even leaving them as raw dough (the meat is always cooked).
Baking them to me is a healthier tastier way to make it, and my family enjoys it this way. I used Greek style yogurt (which is more tart than sweet) mixed with fresh mint and crushed garlic, gives it a nice authentic flavor. I shared this dish with my family and my friends who enjoyed this dish with me in the past. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Ingredients:
For the filling:
2 lbs ground beef well cooked
2 large onions finely chopped
1/ 2 tea all spices
1/ 2 tea spoon cumin
1/ 2 tea spoon paprika (I used the spicy one)
Salt to your taste
For the dough:
3 cups all- purpose flour
1/ 2 cup olive oil
Salt to your taste
Water.
For the sauce:
2 lbs of Greek style yogurt
2 table spoons dried mint
Small bunch of fresh green mint
Salt and pepper
1 table spoon of corn starch well dissolved in 1/ 4 of cup of water
2 table spoon of ghee.
3 cloves garlic minced.
1 egg
1 /2 cup washed drained and roasted walnuts. You can use also pine nuts.
Preparation:
For the fillings:
Mix ground beef and chopped onions and all spices and cook until well done it. (I like to sear the meat, don’t make it where it’s watery and bubbly) set aside to cool down.
For the dough:
Mix the flour and the salt, add the oil and start adding water slowly while you are mixing until it forms like a dough , then start knead it until soft, let it rest for about 1 hour.
For the sauce:
Add the egg, salt and corn starch (mixed already) to the yogurt and mix by whisking it very well. Add black pepper and dried mint and mix again.
Start cooking the mixer in a saucepan on low heat, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, Bring to boil.
In a small pan add ghee chopped mints and garlic sauté for 3 minutes, add to the sauce. And mix
Serve while warm almost hot. Enjoy!
ENJOY!
~ by simplyheavenfood on June 18, 2009.
Posted in Arabic food, Beef Recipes
Tags: Arabic food, Arabic tradition, beef dumpling, dumplings, Greek style yogurt, How to cook, Shish- Barak, traditions, yogurt
I am running out the door to go to work, but these look delicious, even this early in the morning 🙂
I didn’t get a chance to read the recipe, but when I make this I usually use something similar to a pasta dough. Did you use a pastry dough?
ps. my grandmother adds a finjan of over boiled rice to the laban mix (at least when she is making kibbe b’laban). Have you heard of that trick? It really helps stabilize the laban
Afaf, you’re are opening a whole new world of food for me with Syrian cuisine. US Greeks make something similar both both are rather unique yet delicious!
I love your photos! Looks good.
These dumplings look delicious, can the beef be substituted by lamb or chicken?
Hi Tony! Yes my mom uses rice to stabilize the yogurt, but I don’t, my family & I don’t care so much for the over boiled rice texture in it, so I use 1 table spoon of cornstarch instead.
Thank you so much again for you comment.
Hi Peter! Thank you so much. I am a fan of Greek food, and I love your site too!
Hi Wendy! I appreciate you constant visiting to my site and leaving these kind comments
Hi Kenny! Yes you can substitute by lamb it is very good, if you are a lamb fan, but I’ve never try it with chicken. And thank you!
Cheers to ALL!!
xx
Yum! I love these!
AFAF!!!!! Thank you so much habibti 🙂 You don’t know how happy this made me. And on top of that it’s my birthday, it’s perfect!
You are an angel.
Take care xoxo
Thank you so much Iman and happy birthday to you! so glad I was able to make you happy on your special day! Enjoy.
Xo
Only chefs with true pastry making talent can make dough like this look so easy to pull off. No matter how hard I try, it either comes out too sticky, or too dry. You nailed it, of course. 🙂
This dish looks fantastic, and once again I find myself dreaming of your food. Great photos, and a very easy to follow play-by-play. I will definitely be trying this dish. You’ve made it seem so approachable, as always.
So sumptuous!
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
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Once again, Afaf, looks amazing and delicious! And you completely had me at the Greek yogurt, garlic and mint leaves — incredible flavor combnnations. I hope to try this dish soon. Brava!
Thank you SO much Phil! I learned to make this dough from my grand-mother. As a child we baked bread almost every day. I really would love to get all together, you, Jo, Charles and me and cook each one of us a dish, which will be so awesome, after all done we can just enjoy it all together with our partners.
xoxo
Thank you SO much Charles! One of my VERY favorite combinations are Greek yogurt, garlic and mint leaves, many Arabic dish has it. My next post will have a COLD SALAD with almost the same combinations. So delicious!
Thanks again!
xoxo
This is simply a heaven dish! I love pastry turnover.
I made sheesh barak last night for dinner – I always forget how long this dish takes to make, but it’s always worth it in the end 🙂
Afaf, you are amazing! This recipe is great and it looks delicious! I will definitely be making this soon!
I think you’ll like the latest post on my blog. It is a simple and healthy “meal” that can be made and eaten at any time of the day…
Marhaba Afaf,
This looks amazing, Can I come for dinner, I didnt eat Sheish Barak since three years. I use Corn Flour in the yogurt instead of the egg, Your pastry looks so elegant in a fatayer shape instead of the small pastries….
Thanks you so much for sharing…..
Gorgeous!!!!
I’ve seen so many different ways of preparing shish barak but I’ll have to admit your way looks very interesting.
I’ve never cooked this dish before but I think I’m going to try it for Friday’s family gathering soon.
Just one little stupid question, those dumplings, did you fry them or bake them in oven ? I can’t tell from the pictures x_x
Thank you very much for sharing this delicious recipe ♥
Thank you for your kind comments! The dumplings were Baked. X
looks awesome. It’s what I really love. Great to go with sauce. Lovely pictures. Thanks for sharing.
[…] Greek yogurt sauce that’s infused with flavors of garlic and mint. Adapted from Recipes at Simply Heaven food and Antonio Tahhan Basic Dough or Ajeen for making the […]
Walima Cooking Club tour Lebanon :Aysh el-Saraya and Sheesh Barak | Health Foods Blog said this on November 30, 2009 at 8:44 pm |
How long do you bake them and at what temperature, please? I will try these tonight.
Hi Wendy! Thank you so much for visiting my site again, hope all is well with you and your family!
I usually bake them 10-15 minutes OR until golden brown!
Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
Hi Afaf I’m still going through your blog. Amazing job. I’m so proud of you. I can’t get enough of your shish barak. They look so puffed and flaky like puff pastry. The only way I know to achieve this is by brushing them with ghee or olive oil before baking. Did you do that? and what was the oven temp? I mean they look like meat samboosak. right? I really love your style.
Ammoon
[…] Greek yogurt sauce that’s infused with flavors of garlic and mint. Adapted from Recipes at Simply Heaven food and Antonio Tahhan Basic Dough or Ajeen for making the […]
Walima Cooking Club tour Lebanon :Aysh el-Saraya and Sheesh Barak | Walima Cooking Club tour Lebanon :Aysh el-Saraya and Sheesh Barak healthful | Walima Cooking Club tour Lebanon :Aysh el-Saraya and Sheesh Barak > | Life Healthful | Healthful Diet | He said this on August 29, 2010 at 1:16 pm |
Hi Afaf, I was looking for the sambusak recipe and found your blog. Thanks for posting the recipe for this delicious snacks. I do have a question, did you fry the pastry or baked them? I don’t think you mentioned it in your recipe. Please let me know as I am desperate want to make it. Thank you 🙂