Lamb in Yogurt Sauce (Laban Immo)
لبن إمه Laban ImmoSay it: LAH-ban IM-moh
Laban Immo is a comforting Levantine lamb dish from Lebanon and Syria, where tender pieces of lamb and sweet onions are folded into a warm, gently thickened yogurt sauce. It is usually served over vermicelli rice, with the sauce spooned over the top. The flavor is mild and creamy, with a gentle tang from the yogurt and warm spices in the lamb. The dish is prized for its silky sauce, which must stay smooth and never curdle, making it a favorite for family gatherings.
Lamb in Yogurt Sauce (Laban Immo)
لبن إمه, Laban Immo
Pronounced LAH-ban IM-moh
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 55 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the lamb
For the yogurt sauce
For the vermicelli rice
To finish
Method
Pat the lamb dry and season all over with 1 1/2 tsp salt, the pepper, allspice and cinnamon. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the lamb in batches until deeply golden on all sides, 6–8 minutes per batch; transfer to a plate.
Add the onions to the same pot and cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, until soft and golden at the edges. Stir in the garlic and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute, then return the lamb to the pot. Pour in 8 cups (2 L) water, bring to a gentle boil, skim off the foam, and partly cover; simmer for 60–75 minutes, until the lamb is fork-tender.
Lift the lamb and onions out with a slotted spoon and strain the broth. Reserve 2 3/4 cups (660 ml) of the broth for the rice and keep the rest hot. Return the lamb and onions to the pot with 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) of the hot broth.
Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain well. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan, add the vermicelli and toast for 2–3 minutes until golden brown; add the rice and 1/2 tsp salt and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the 2 3/4 cups (660 ml) hot reserved broth, bring to a boil, then cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes; rest off the heat for 10 minutes and fluff with a fork.
Whisk the yogurt with the cornstarch and 1 tsp salt until completely smooth. Ladle 1 cup (240 ml) of the hot lamb broth from the pot into the yogurt in a thin stream, whisking constantly, then stir in another 1/2 cup (120 ml) hot broth.
Set the pot with the lamb over low heat and stir in the tempered yogurt. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon and small bubbles tremble at the edge; do not let it boil.
Taste and adjust salt. Spoon the lamb and yogurt sauce over the vermicelli rice and scatter with parsley.
Regional variants
Some cooks stabilize the yogurt with a beaten egg or egg white instead of cornstarch; others add a pinch of dried mint or a little extra garlic to the sauce.
Cook's notes
- Use full-fat plain yogurt; low-fat yogurt is more likely to split.
- Keep the sauce below a boil and stir constantly once the yogurt goes in.
- If the yogurt sauce tightens too much, loosen it with hot lamb broth, not cold water.
Serve with
Vermicelli rice, a crisp cucumber-tomato salad, and warm flatbread.
Make ahead and storage
Cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days; reheat gently over low heat with a splash of broth or water, stirring, and do not let it boil.
