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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Shakriyeh, lamb in yogurt sauce with rice

Shakriyeh is a Levantine dish for 4 people made of lamb simmered in a warm yogurt sauce, served with vermicelli rice and pine nuts. It takes about 95 minutes and a medium skill level to get the sauce right, for €3.80 per serving. The key is to never let the yogurt boil, so it stays smooth.

Tonight we're cooking like in the Levant with shakriyeh, melt tender lamb in a warm yogurt sauce, served with vermicelli rice.

Shakriyeh, lamb in yogurt sauce with rice
Total time
1 h 35
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.80
Calories per person
600 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Shakriyeh is all about that warm white yogurt sauce coating lamb that's gone fall apart tender after a long gentle simmer. Cinnamon and cardamom season the broth without ever taking over, and the vermicelli rice adds a toasted crunch that plays beautifully against the soft meat. It's a comforting dish, a world away from the usual tomato based stews, with a texture that's almost creamy and surprises people the first time around.

This is a recipe for a Sunday or any meal where you have a little time ahead of you, since the lamb needs a good hour to become tender. It works well for adults and older kids curious about new flavors, but it's not the fastest option for a weeknight. Mon Chou slots it into fall and winter menus, for those evenings when you want something warming without feeling heavy.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Lamb shoulder, cut into pieces 800 g

Dairy

  • Plain yogurt 600 g
  • Butter 30 g

Pantry

  • Cornstarchoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Cinnamonoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Cardamomoften in the pantry 4 pods
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Vermicellioften in the pantry 50 g
  • Pine nuts 30 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 2

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Tree nuts

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the lamb with the onions cut into quarters, the cinnamon, the cardamom and water, covered, until the meat is tender. 1 h

    Skim the surface during the first few minutes, the broth will stay clear and the sauce whiter.

  2. Dissolve the cornstarch in a little water, mix it into the yogurt and whisk well.

    Whole milk yogurt holds up better to heat, avoid fat free yogurt.

  3. Pour the yogurt into a saucepan, heat gently while stirring, then add 20 cl of the cooking broth.

    If the yogurt starts to grain, take it off the heat and whisk vigorously.

  4. Add the drained lamb to the sauce and let it simmer for 10 minutes. 10 min

    Keep the rest of the broth for cooking the rice, nothing goes to waste.

  5. Brown the vermicelli in the butter, add the rice, pour in double the amount of broth and water, cover and cook. Serve with the toasted pine nuts. 15 min

    Toast the vermicelli until it turns a deep nutty brown, that's what flavors the rice.

Our tips to get it right

  • Take the yogurt out of the fridge about 20 minutes before using it, too sharp a temperature shock makes it more likely to curdle.
  • Whisk the yogurt sauce constantly for the first two or three minutes of cooking, that's when it's most at risk of splitting.
  • Cut the lamb shoulder into evenly sized pieces before cooking, so they all finish at the same time and stay tender.

The variations

  • Swap the lamb shoulder for veal or chicken, the yogurt sauce pairs nicely with milder meats.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the lamb with cooked chickpeas and use vegetable broth instead of meat broth.
  • For a quicker meal, use leftover cooked lamb or leg of lamb, you'll only need to make the sauce and the rice.

What to serve it with

  • Flatbread for scooping up sauce
  • A fresh cucumber salad
  • Mint tea

Storage

Shakriyeh keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, ideally with the sauce and rice stored separately. It doesn't freeze well since the yogurt can separate when thawed. Reheat the sauce very gently, never letting it boil, stirring regularly.

Questions about this dish

How do you keep the yogurt from curdling in the sauce?

Always mix a little cornstarch into the yogurt before heating it, this stabilizes it. Heat very gently, stirring in the same direction, and never let the sauce boil hard.

Can you make shakriyeh ahead of time?

You can cook the lamb and prepare the broth the day before, then finish the yogurt sauce just before serving. The yogurt sauce turns out best when made fresh.

Which yogurt works best for this recipe?

Use a plain whole milk yogurt, it holds up to heat much better than a low fat one. Fat free yogurts tend to curdle more easily during cooking.

Can you substitute the pine nuts?

Yes, toasted sliced almonds work just as well and are often cheaper. The key is to toast them lightly so they add flavor to the rice.

How long does it take to make a shakriyeh, lamb in yogurt sauce with rice?

Count 1 h 35 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a shakriyeh, lamb in yogurt sauce with rice?

About 600 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a shakriyeh, lamb in yogurt sauce with rice cost?

About €3.80 per serving, or €15.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, tree nuts. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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