Lebanese Shish Barak in lamb with vermicelli rice

(Serves 6)

🎼Music by Sabah - Aiam🎼

Shish Barak is a traditional type of dumpling made in unleavened wheat dough & filled with a meat filling.

At Café Najat, we like to make double the quantity of dumplings, we can store & freeze half the batch made for another time.

Dough (makes approx 50-60 pieces)
4 cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
2 tbsp olive oil

Filling:
400g lean minced (ground) lamb
2 tbsp light olive oil
2 large onions finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh mint finely chopped
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Yoghurt sauce:
1 kg Natural Bio Yoghurt - full fat
6 fat cloves of garlic crushed
1 heaped tbsp dried mint
1 large egg, whisked
2 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 cup water
3 cups water

Lebanese vermicelli rice:
1 cup basmati rice - washed 3 times in cold water, then hot tap water fills the pot to pre-soak for at least an hour.
1 cup crushed vermicelli pasta
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp salt or to taste
3 cups of hot boiling water from the kettle
(Rice ratio - 1 cup rice: 2 cups hot water & 1 cup vermicelli: 1 cup hot water)

Wash & pre-soak basmati rice for at least 1 hour.

Making dough - using food mixer with dough hook, add 4 cups of flour sifted, salt, olive oil & warm water & mix on low speed. Allow food mixer to run for approx 10 mins, combining into a smooth soft spongy dough. Take dough out & wrap in clingfilm. Place in fridge for 30 mins or so.

Dumpling filling - heat oil in pan & fry minced lamb for 5mins over medium heat. Water will start to come to surface, ensure water has evaporated.
Add onions & cook until lightly golden. Then add spices, stir then add chopped mint, cook for another 2 mins then remove from heat & allow to cool.

Shish Barak - get a baking tray ready with grease-proof paper & a little flour sprinkled on tray to stop stickiness.
Take out dough from fridge, split into 2 halves. Note - This will make 2 batches of Shish Barak where 1 batch is used for now & another prepared for the freezer. This will make approximately 50-60 dumpling pieces.

Pre-heat oven gas Mark 9 or equivalent.
Onto a floured surface, roll out dough until 3mm in thickness. Using a 7-8 inch straight ring cutter, start cutting out discs & any excess dough, is put together & put into a dough shape again.
Take a disc, gently stretch it out & fill with 1 tsp meat filling. Taking 1 side, fold over & press edges together, looking like a half moon shape. Then taking the 2 ends, twist the folded dumpling around your index finger & press both ends together, making a mini crown dumpling. Place dumpling in floured tray.
When you have made a tray with approximately 25-30 pieces, place tray in oven & bake for 10/15 mins until they are lightly golden. Set aside

Yoghurt sauce - prepare 2 tbsp cornflour with 1 cup water & set aside.
In another large pan, add yoghurt & 3 cups of water & stir over medium heat, then add & stir in egg & cornflour water. After 3 mins, yoghurt sauce starts thickening. The yoghurt sauce will start to foam & boil, allow this to happen 3 times stirring in between - this could happen within 5 mins. Lower heat to simmering & add crushed garlic, then add 1 heaped tbsp dried mint, simmer for 10 mins stirring occasionally.

Rice time - have kettle filled 1 ltr water, ready-boiled to add to rice when needed. Drain pre-soaked rice set aside.
In a medium pan, add 2 tbsp sunflower oil, add 1 cup crushed vermicelli & over medium heat, stir until it’s lightly golden.
Add rice & salt to taste (e.g.1 tsp) then add hot water from kettle. We use a ratio to cook rice, where 1 cup rice: 2 cups water, plus 1 cup crushed vermicelli: 1 cup water. This should be 3 cups of water.
Gently stir, allow water come to boiling point, cover with lid then lower heat. Check rice every 5 mins, making sure water has been absorbed into rice. To check, gently pull with small spoon or fork at edges of pan checking the bottom of pan if any water is left. This could take 5-12mins to cook. When water has been fully absorbed, turn off the heat, gently stir the rice for steam to escape, cover with lid. Transfer to serving dish.

Return to yoghurt sauce - after 10 mins simmering, add baked dumplings into yoghurt sauce & simmer for 10 mins, check seasoning. Transfer to serving dish.

To assemble Shish Barak - serve the Shish Barak in pasta bowls. Start with some rice in the bowl, levelled out as a bed. Next add 4/5 dumpling pieces & place in bowl around the bed of rice. Add a little more yoghurt sauce & drizzle this around the bowl using a ladle. Finally, add a sprinkle of chopped fresh mint & serve - enjoy!

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⁉️If you have a question, please leave a comment below and I will try to help. ⁉️

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