Arman (Shakeryeh)

A regal Syrian classic featuring tender meat chunks slow-cooked in a rich, silky, and warm yogurt sauce. Savory and comforting, it is traditionally served alongside vermicelli rice.

🥄 Ingredients

• 2 kg lamb on the bone, preferably shanks
• 1.5 kg 10% fat yogurt
• 4 medium onions
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cinnamon sticks, 10 cardamom pods
• 10 cloves
• 100 g almonds or pine nuts

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Peel and slice the onions. Heat a little oil in a deep pot and add all the coarse spices: bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and cloves. Fry them for about 5 minutes to release the aroma of the seven-spice blend before adding the meat. Then add the onions and sauté them with the seven-spice blend for another 5 minutes. Now, place the meat on top of the onions and spices and stir until it is browned and heated through on all sides, about 10 minutes.
2. Boil 3 liters of water in a kettle and pour it over the meat. Once it boils again, cover the pot and let it simmer for at least 2 1 hours over low heat. Check that the meat is cooked to your liking before turning off the heat.
3. Remove the meat from the broth and set it aside.
4. Place the yogurt in a deep bowl and sprinkle in the flour. Using a hand mixer, stir in one direction over the highest heat until the yogurt boils. Always have boiling water nearby while cooking. Once the yogurt boils, add half a cup of boiling water and one and a half cups of meat broth. Continue stirring until it boils again, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Add the meat and let it cook for another 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, and your Arman or Shakriya is ready.
5. Serve it with a side of rice with vermicelli.
6. You can also use kebbe made with labneh; it's delicious instead of rice.