🇱🇧 Lebanon · Food
Shish Barak
By eatmundo · July 12, 2026
Delicate meat-filled dumplings simmered in a warm, silky yogurt sauce. A true Levantine comfort classic.
Ingredients
check them off as you prepareHow to Make It
- 1
Sauté 500g minced beef with 50g toasted pine nuts until browned.
- 2
Prepare a soft dough using 500g flour and 250ml water, letting it rest for 30 minutes.
- 3
Roll the dough thin and cut into 5cm circles.
- 4
Place a teaspoon of filling in each, fold into a crescent, and join the ends to form the traditional hat shape.
- 5
Bake the dumplings at 180°C for 10 minutes until lightly golden.
- 6
In a large pot, whisk 1kg yogurt with 1 tbsp cornstarch and simmer until thickened.
- 7
Gently drop the dumplings into the yogurt sauce.
- 8
Simmer for 10 minutes until the dumplings are tender.
- 9
Finish with a sizzle of garlic and dried mint in butter poured over the top.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of beef is best for the Shish Barak filling?+
Use ground beef with at least 20% fat content to ensure the filling remains juicy inside the delicate dough pockets.
Should I salt the eggplant before cooking it in this dish?+
Yes, salting the eggplant cubes and letting them rest for 20 minutes helps draw out bitterness and prevents them from absorbing too much oil.
How can I tell when the Shish Barak dumplings are fully cooked?+
The dumplings are ready when they float to the surface of the simmering sauce and the dough looks slightly translucent.
Is it possible to substitute pine nuts if I cannot find them?+
Toasted slivered almonds or chopped walnuts are excellent alternatives that provide the necessary crunch and nutty flavor profile.
Mundo Match
This dish doesn't have a strong Mundo Match yet — but here's the closest ingredient overlap we found across the world's cuisines.
