About this Dish
A thick, creamy stew made from powdered chickpeas or broad beans cooked with onions, garlic, tomatoes and spices. Shiro is the everyday dish of Ethiopia — cheap, nutritious and deeply satisfying. Eaten during fasting periods as it contains no meat or animal products.
IngredientsServes 4
🫘Shiro powder (chickpea or broad bean flour), 1 cup
🧅Red onions, 2 large, very finely chopped
🧄Garlic cloves, 4, minced
🍅Tomatoes, 2 medium, finely chopped
🌶️Berbere spice blend, 2 tablespoons
🫒Niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter) or vegetable oil, 4 tablespoons
💧Water or vegetable stock, 2 to 2.5 cups
🧂Salt, to taste
🌿Fresh green chilli, 1, sliced (optional, for garnish)
Method
1
Heat the niter kibbeh or oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onions and cook slowly for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until they are very soft and beginning to turn golden — do not rush this step as it builds the base flavour.2
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, then stir in the berbere spice and chopped tomatoes. Cook the mixture together for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes break down into a thick, fragrant paste.3
Reduce the heat to low. Gradually whisk in the shiro powder, adding it little by little to avoid lumps, alternating with splashes of water or stock until all the powder and liquid are combined.4
Stir the stew continuously as it comes to a gentle simmer — shiro catches and burns easily on the bottom, so keep stirring. Add more water as needed to reach a thick, creamy, porridge-like consistency.5
Season generously with salt and let the shiro bubble gently on the lowest heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until it looks glossy and the raw flour taste has completely cooked out.6
Serve hot directly from the pot onto injera flatbread, drizzled with a little extra niter kibbeh on top and garnished with sliced green chilli if you like. Shiro is always eaten communally, scooped up with torn pieces of injera.User Reviews
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