Have you ever tried a dish that felt like a warm hug from your grandma? Well, let me introduce you to Shish Barak, a Jordanian specialty that consists of savory dumplings swimming in a hot, tangy yogurt sauce. That’s as comforting as it gets.

Bara’a, a Jordanian native living in New York, suggested this concoction of dumplings in a hot yogurt sauce. This dish holds cultural significance across Jordan, Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon, where yogurt is featured in many recipes. Bara’a reminisces of family gatherings centered around Shish Barak, invoking memories of her mother’s expertise in preparing this dish. And when she talks about the aroma filling her grandmother’s house, you can practically smell the nostalgia wafting through the air.

To prepare Shish Barak, begin by mixing flour, oil and water in a bowl to form a dough. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rest. Meanwhile, sauté onions and brown ground beef seasoned with cardamom, then mix in fresh parsley for the filling. Roll out the dough and fill it with the beef mixture, shaping the dumplings into small hats or ears. Place the dumplings on a sheet pan and bake. For the sauce, gently simmer yogurt in a saucepan over low heat. Add the baked dumplings to the sauce and let them simmer. Ladle into a bowl and garnish with coriander-infused oil.

Mmmmmm! The tanginess of the yogurt, the warmth of the spices, and those comforting dumplings. Yum! As I savor each mouthful, I can’t help but feel a sense of gratitude to Bara’a for sharing this recipe with me. It’s that good. It’s a labor of love but don’t be intimidated by the process. Sure, shaping the dumplings might take a bit of practice and keeping that yogurt sauce from curdling requires a watchful eye but it’s so worth it. And if you’re feeling a bit lazy, you can always cheat a little by using store-bought ravioli or tortellini – it’s not quite the same, but it’ll do in a pinch.