Shakriyeh
Levantine yogurt and lamb stew
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shakriyeh (Arabic: شاكرية, also known as "laban emmo") is a traditional Levantine stew of lamb cooked in yogurt, often served with Arabic rice.[1][2]
.jpg)
Shakriyeh with vermicelli rice | |
| Alternative names | Laban emmo |
|---|---|
| Type | Stew |
| Course | Main |
| Place of origin | Levant |
| Associated cuisine | Levantine cuisine |
| Main ingredients | Lamb, yogurt |
Etymology
The origin of the name shakriyeh is disputed, the word shakriyeh itself is derived from the Arabic word for "to thank" (ushkur, أشكر).[2][3] The name shakriyeh is believed to have been derived from the first name "shakir" (شاكر), with the person it was named after remaining unknown.[3][4] Other sources disregard this theory and attribute an Aramaic origin to the word.[5] Common spellings include shakriyyeh and shakriya.[6][7]
The name laban emmo (Arabic: لبن امه, also spelled laban ummo) is common in some regions, such as Lebanon,[8][4][3] the name translates to "his mother's milk", implying that the lamb meat is to be cooked in the lambs own mothers milk,[9][10] according to Syrian historian Khayr al-Din al-Asadi, it is a reference to the 10 commandments in Jewish doctrine.[4] The name may laban emmo may refer to shakriyeh or a specific variety of it.[10]
Preparation and varieties
The dish is traditionally prepared by cooking lamb meat in laban rayeb with aromatics and spices, often topped with garlic, and served with vermicelli rice.[11][1][12][2][13] Some varieties use chicken in place of lamb.[14][6] Despite the similarity to mansaf, it does not use jameed.[15][16]
Arman (أرمان) is a Syrian dish similar to shakriyeh made by cooking the meat in a pan before adding it to the stew.[4][17][18]
History
Recipes for meat cooked in yogurt can be found in medieval Arabic cookbooks, according to author Claudia Roden, 10th century poet Badi' al-Zaman al-Hamadani wrote a story about such a dish called madira (مضيرة).[9][19]
Shakriyeh is attested as early as the 19th century; Lebanese scholar Butrus al-Bustani defined shakriyeh in his 1867 dictionary titled Kitāb Muḥīṭ al-muḥīṭ as "a dish of meat cooked in yogurt".[20]
Culture
Shakriyeh is typically cooked to celebrate special occasions.[2][21] Muslims traditionally cook shakriyeh on Eid al-Fitr as well as Eid al-Adha,[21][22] and on the first day of Ramadan,[23][12][11] and Christians prepare it on Christmas.[21] Shakriyeh and similar Levantine yogurt stews are most common during spring.[8] The availability of the ingredients, mainly meat and dairy, was impacted negatively by the Syrian civil war.[12]
Shakriyeh features in several traditional Syrian proverbs and poems.[4][11] It is associated with other Levantine festive yogurt dishes, like shishbarak, kibbeh labaniyyeh, sheikh al-mahshi, among others.[24][23][11]