Shish Barak (Lebanese Dumplings with Mint Yogurt)

Step 1

Mix the flour with the salt, sugar, and yeast

Step 2

Add the egg and vegetable oil. Combine everything together

Step 3

Gradually start adding water until the dough becomes non-sticky and quite soft

Step 4

Roll into a ball, set in the center of a glass bowl. Cover the dough with cling film and a kitchen towel.

Step 5

Let it rest for at least one hour.

Step 6

Heat up the butter and pop the onion in to get it all fragrant and cooked up

Step 7

Add the ground meat and spices and cook until the meat is browned

Step 8

Sprinkle with the pine nuts if using and then set the filling aside

Step 9

Knead the dough and roll it out into a thin layer

Step 10

Use a cookie cutter to make circle cuts in the dough

Step 11

Fill each circle with a teaspoon of the meat filling (make sure not to over-fill them)

Step 12

Use your fingers to close up the dough and form a sort of a half moon shape. After that, fold both sides of the shape around your index finger and pinch it together. (The final shape looks a little bit like tortellini).

Step 13

Heat up a tablespoon of butter in a saute pan and half-cook the dumplings. Following that, set them aside.

Step 14

Strain the yogurt in the pot you're going to use during the cooking process

Step 15

Then add in the water and cornstarch mixture and whisk everything really well

Step 16

Turn on the heat and bring to a boil while stirring constantly

Step 17

Keep stirring and then turn the heat to low

Step 18

Add in the dumplings + dried mint and bring everything to a boil

Step 19

Let the shish barak stew cook together for a few minutes before turning off the heat