Laban Umo – Lamb Yogurt Stew

Name: Laban Umo - Lamb Yogurt Stew
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6-8
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

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Mains

Lamb shanks, silky yogurt, fresh coriander—this stew tastes like a hug. Serve it with rice and watch bowls vanish!

PREP TIME

15 minutes

COOK TIME

1 hour 30 minutes

SERVES

6-8

About this recipe

I didn’t grow up eating Laban Umo Lamb Yogurt Stew, even though it’s considered a traditional comfort food in many Lebanese homes. For some reason, my mum never made it—but I discovered it later, through my in-laws. The first time I tasted it, I immediately understood why it’s such a beloved dish. There’s something incredibly nostalgic about tender lamb gently simmered in a tangy garlic-yogurt sauce. It feels like a hug in a bowl.

When I started making this recipe myself, I naturally leaned into the cooking style I knew. I used bone-in lamb shanks, just like Mum always did in her stews, to give the broth a rich, deep flavour. I also added my own little twist by keeping the coriander fresh and stirring it in at the very end instead of cooking it down—just the way I like it. These small changes helped me create what I think is the perfect version of Laban Umo Lamb Yogurt Stew.

One of the things I love most about this recipe is that you can easily prepare the lamb and broth ahead of time. I often cook the shanks and strain the stock in advance, then reheat them gently when I’m ready to make the stew. The yogurt sauce, however, should always be made fresh. If you’ve made my Chicken and Rice Fatteh or Shishbarak, you’ll be familiar with the technique of gently cooking yogurt until it thickens without splitting. This stew follows a similar method, but with deeper, more savoury flavours—perfect for a cosy dinner. Serve it with vermicelli rice and toasted pine nuts, and it’s a complete meal that never fails to impress.

Ingredients

Lamb Broth

1.2 kilograms lamb shanks, cut into thirds (about 3 shanks)
1 large onion, quartered
2 tablespoon ghee
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
7 cups water
Salt, to taste

Yogurt Base

1.5 kg full-fat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon cornflour
Salt, to taste

Topping

2 tablespoon olive oil
5 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup chopped fresh coriander
toasted pine nuts

Notes from Rouba

brown the shanks first for deeper flavour
add broth slowly to avoid splitting the yogurt
reheat gently over low heat to keep the sauce silky. If needed, add only hot water to loosen the reheated sauce—never cold.

Method

Step 1. Make Broth

Warm the ghee in a pressure cooker (or heavy pot) over medium heat and sauté the onion until lightly golden. Add the lamb shanks and brown all over, about 3–5 minutes. Drop in bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and season with salt. Stir, then pour in the water. Once the liquid reaches a boil; skim any foam. If cooking:

Pressure cooker: Seal and cook over medium heat for 40 minutes.
Stovetop: Cover, and cook on medium heat for 1 1⁄2–2 hours until the meat is tender.

Lift out the shanks and strain the broth through a fine sieve; set 2 cups aside for the yogurt sauce.

Step 2. Prepare the Yogurt Sauce

Sieve the yogurt into a clean pot—this prevents lumps and keeps the stew velvety. Whisk in the cornflour, until completely smooth. Season with salt. Place over medium-low heat and stir continuously in one direction. The yogurt will gradually thicken and begin to bubble; don’t let it boil hard.

Slowly add in the reserved hot lamb broth while whisking. Add the lamb shanks back into the pot— either whole with the bones, or with the meat removed and kept in large chunks. You can also do a mix of both, leaving one or two shanks whole for presentation. Let the stew simmer gently for 5–10 minutes, just until it comes to a gentle boil and everything is warmed through.

Step 3. Add garlic and coriander

In a small pan, add the olive oil and sauté the crushed garlic over medium heat until fragrant— about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Immediately pour into the yogurt and lamb. Give it a gentle stir, then turn off the heat. Finish with freshly chopped coriander.

Serve and scatter with toasted pine nuts.