Syrian Lamb and Yogurt Stew (Shakriyeh)

Place the lamb shoulder in a large pot and cover with water. Add half of the quartered onion and bring to a boil.

Allow the meat to boil for about 10 minutes, letting any impurities rise to the surface.

Drain the water, rinse the meat thoroughly, and return it to the clean pot.

In a small, lightly oiled skillet over medium heat, toast the cardamom pods, star anise, cloves, bay leaves, and black peppercorns until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the toasted spices to the pot with the lamb. Cover with fresh water, season with salt, and add the remaining onion.

Pressure cook on high for at least 1 hour, or simmer covered on the stovetop for 2-3 hours, until the meat is fall-apart tender.

While the meat cooks, prepare the yogurt sauce. In a separate large pot, combine the yogurt, egg, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt.

With the heat off, use an immersion blender to blend the yogurt mixture until completely smooth.

Place the pot over medium-low heat and stir constantly for about 15 minutes. Continue stirring until the sauce lightly bubbles and thickens enough to coat the back of a spatula.

Once the lamb is cooked, remove it from the broth. If desired, remove the bones and excess fat, and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Reserve the broth.

Stir about 1 cup of the reserved lamb broth into the thickened yogurt sauce to thin it to your desired consistency.

Add the cooked lamb to the yogurt sauce and stir to combine.

Serve the Shakriyeh hot over Arabic rice. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and a sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper.