Tender chunks of lamb simmered in a rich, tangy yogurt sauce until impossibly soft, served over fragrant white rice. This classic Jordanian yogurt-based stew is creamy, comforting, and soul-warming.
Ingredients
1 kg lamb shoulder, cubed
4 cups yogurt
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp cornstarch
4 cups water
2 onions, quartered
4 cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
Pine nuts for garnish
Fresh parsley
Instructions
1Place lamb cubes in a pot with water, quartered onions, cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, skim foam, and simmer for 1 hour until tender.
2Remove lamb from broth and set aside. Strain and reserve 2 cups of the flavorful cooking broth. Discard aromatics.
3In a large pot, whisk yogurt with beaten egg and cornstarch until completely smooth. This prevents the yogurt from splitting during cooking.
4Place the yogurt pot over medium heat, stirring constantly in one direction. Slowly pour in the reserved lamb broth while continuing to stir.
5Once the sauce reaches a gentle simmer and thickens, add the cooked lamb pieces. Simmer together for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6In a small pan, fry garlic in butter until golden. Pour over the shakriyeh. Serve over rice with toasted pine nuts and parsley.
Did You Know?
The secret to shakriyeh is stirring the yogurt in only one direction — Jordanian cooks believe reversing direction will cause the sauce to split.