Shiro wat

Ethiopia's everyday comfort: spiced chickpea flour simmered in berbere and niter kibbeh, the fasting table's greatest dish

Origin: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

From the journey of Cumin.

Shiro wat is among the most consumed dishes in Ethiopia, eaten daily by millions, particularly during the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian fasting calendar, which prohibits meat and dairy for around 200 days per year. Shiro is ground chickpea or broad bean flour spiced with berbere, the complex Ethiopian spice blend that contains cumin, coriander, fenugreek, korarima (Ethiopian cardamom), and dried red chilis. Cumin arrived in the Horn of Africa via Arab Red Sea trade routes and became so integral to berbere, and therefore to Ethiopian cooking: that virtually no savoury dish is made without it. Shiro wat is ladled over injera and scooped up by hand, a meal of extraordinary simplicity and depth.

Ingredients

Shiro

  • 1 cup shiro powder (spiced chickpea or broad bean flour)
  • 2.5 cups water

Aromatics

  • 2 tbsp niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced clarified butter) or olive oil for vegan
  • 1 large red onion, very finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

Spices

  • 2 tsp berbere spice blend
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric
  • to taste salt

To serve

  • injera or flatbread, to serve
  • optional extra niter kibbeh, to finish

Method

  1. Heat the niter kibbeh or olive oil in a wide, heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add the finely diced red onion and cook slowly for 12–15 minutes, stirring frequently, until very soft and beginning to caramelise. The onion is the flavour foundation: do not rush this step.
  2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the berbere, ground cumin, and turmeric and stir for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
  3. Pour in 2 cups of the water and bring to a gentle simmer. Gradually whisk in the shiro powder, adding it in a thin stream while whisking continuously to prevent lumps.
  4. Add the remaining half cup of water gradually, stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken quickly: keep the heat on medium-low and stir regularly for 8–10 minutes as it cooks through.
  5. Season with salt to taste. The finished shiro should have the consistency of thick hummus: smooth, creamy, and deeply flavoured. If too thick, add a little more warm water.
  6. Ladle onto injera or serve in a shallow bowl with injera on the side. Finish with a small knob of niter kibbeh melting on top if desired. Eat by tearing off pieces of injera and scooping.
  7. Serve immediately: shiro wat is best eaten fresh and hot directly from the pan.

Notes

Shiro powder is available at Ethiopian grocery shops and online. If unavailable, a blend of 3 parts chickpea flour to 1 part mild chilli powder with cumin, coriander, and fenugreek is a reasonable substitute. Niter kibbeh is Ethiopian spiced clarified butter infused with onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, and fenugreek: it is worth making a batch as it keeps for months and transforms countless dishes.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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Ingredient originTrade or transit route
Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control
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