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Shakriyeh
Lamb shanks in yoghurt sauce
Shakriyeh: Damascus lamb shanks cooked in a silky, garlicky yoghurt sauce
In Damascus, shakriyeh is festive food, cooked for Eid and for welcoming guests because its creamy white sauce is considered a sign of good luck. Lamb on the bone is simmered until tender, then finished in yoghurt that has been stabilised and cooked down into a smooth, tangy sauce with garlic and dried mint. It is spooned over vermicelli rice and eaten piping hot. Common mistake: adding yoghurt straight from the fridge into boiling stock — it splits; cook the yoghurt separately first and stir in one direction. Chef's tip: keep half a cup of the meat broth to thin the sauce at the end — it should flow like single cream.
- Total time
- 135 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the lamb
For the yoghurt sauce
- 2 ¼ lb full-fat plain yoghurt
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- ⅞ oz butter
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 tsp dried mint
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 2 ⅝ lb lamb shanks or bone-in lamb shoulder pieces in a large pot with 6 ¼ cups water. Bring to the boil and skim off the grey foam for 5 minutes until the surface is clear.
10 minStep 2: Add 1 onion, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cardamom pods, 2 bay leaves and 1 ½ tsp salt. Cover and simmer gently for 1½–2 hours until the meat is falling off the bone.
105 minStep 3: Lift out the lamb and strain the broth, keeping 300 ml.
2 minStep 4: In a large heavy pan, whisk 2 ¼ lb full-fat plain yoghurt, 2 tbsp cornflour and 1 egg white until smooth. Set over a medium heat and stir constantly in one direction for 10–12 minutes until it simmers and thickens.
12 minStep 5: Stir in 200 ml of the broth and the lamb, and simmer gently for 10 minutes so the meat takes on the sauce. Add more broth if it is thicker than single cream.
10 minStep 6: Melt ⅞ oz butter, fry 4 cloves garlic for 1 minute until pale gold, add 2 tsp dried mint and pour into the pot. Serve hot over vermicelli rice.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does shakriyeh take?
- About 135 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
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