United by Taste
Recipe photo for Shiro Wat

Shiro Wat

by United by Taste

Shiro Wat

by United by Taste

🇪🇹 Ethiopia 🇪🇷 Eritrea ·Africa
Prep
Cook
Total
4 portions
Shiro Wat is a creamy, deeply savory Ethiopian stew made from finely milled chickpea (or broad bean) flour simmered with onions, garlic, and the iconic spice blend berbere. A staple of Ethiopian and Eritrean home cooking, it is especially beloved during fasting periods when it is made vegan with no animal products. Velvety and richly spiced, shiro is traditionally scooped up with injera, the spongy sourdough flatbread. It is comfort food at its most fundamental — humble, nourishing, and intensely flavorful.

Ingredients

Aromatics

1 piece red onion very finely chopped or grated
4 clove garlic minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
1 piece tomato small, finely chopped (optional)

Stew Base

150 g shiro powder chickpea or broad bean flour, ideally pre-spiced shiro mitin
2 tbsp berbere spice blend adjust to taste; reduce if using pre-spiced shiro
3 tbsp niter kibbeh Ethiopian spiced clarified butter; use oil for fasting/vegan version
2 tbsp vegetable oil for vegan version or in addition
750 ml water warm, plus more as needed
1 pinch salt to taste

Garnish

1 piece fresh green chili slit, optional
1 pinch fresh cilantro chopped
1 pinch injera Ethiopian sourdough flatbread

Ingredients

4 portions

Aromatics

1 piecered onion very finely chopped or grated
4 clovegarlic minced
1 tbspfresh ginger grated
1 piecetomato small, finely chopped (optional)

Stew Base

150 gshiro powder chickpea or broad bean flour, ideally pre-spiced shiro mitin
2 tbspberbere spice blend adjust to taste; reduce if using pre-spiced shiro
3 tbspniter kibbeh Ethiopian spiced clarified butter; use oil for fasting/vegan version
2 tbspvegetable oil for vegan version or in addition
750 mlwater warm, plus more as needed
1 pinchsalt to taste

Garnish

1 piecefresh green chili slit, optional
1 pinchfresh cilantro chopped
1 pinchinjera Ethiopian sourdough flatbread

Instructions

Build the flavor base

  1. 1

    Sweat the onions

    Heat the niter kibbeh (or oil) in a heavy pot or clay pot over medium-low heat. Add the very finely chopped red onion and cook slowly, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes until soft, golden, and broken down. The onions should almost melt — this is the foundation of the stew. Do not rush this step or add water yet; the onion must dry-fry and caramelize gently.

  2. 2

    Add garlic, ginger, and berbere

    Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the berbere and the chopped tomato (if using), stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes to bloom the spices in the fat. Add a splash of water if it sticks. The mixture should turn into a deep red, glossy paste.

Simmer the shiro

  1. 1

    Whisk in the shiro powder

    Pour in the warm water and bring to a gentle simmer. Gradually sprinkle in the shiro powder while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Whisk until the powder is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

  2. 2

    Cook low and slow

    Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to keep it from sticking or scorching on the bottom. The stew will thicken to a smooth, creamy, slightly bubbling consistency. Add a little more warm water if it becomes too thick. Season with salt.

  3. 3

    Finish and serve

    When the shiro is creamy and the raw flour taste has cooked out, add the slit green chili if using and simmer 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt and berbere. Serve hot in a shallow dish, garnished with chopped cilantro, alongside warm injera for scooping.

Credits & Inspiration

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