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Shiro Recipe

Name: Abem Ethiopian Coffee & Kitchens Shiro Recipe
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Ethiopian
Ingredients: 1.5 cups chickpea (garbanzo) flour or split chickpea (besan/gram) flour; 4 cups water (for mixing and cooking); 0.25 cups vegetable or chickpea oil; 1 cup red onion, finely chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbs ginger, minced; 2 tbs berbere spice mix; 0.5 tsp mitmita (optional, spicy Ethiopian chili powder); 1 tbs tomato paste; 1.5 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp ground black pepper; 0.5 cups water or vegetable broth (additional, to adjust consistency); 2 tbs niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced clarified butter) or unsalted butter; 2 tbs chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (optional); 1 tsp fresh lemon juice (optional)

Inspired by Abem Ethiopian Coffee & Kitchen

Time40m

Serves4

Make Shiro Recipe in just 40m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Shiro Base

1 1/2 cups chickpea (garbanzo) flour or split chickpea (besan/gram) flour

4 cups water (for mixing and cooking)

1/4 cups vegetable or chickpea oil

1 cup red onion, finely chopped

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tbs Ginger, minced

2 tbs berbere spice mix

1/2 tsp mitmita (optional, spicy Ethiopian chili powder)

1 tbs tomato paste

1 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Finishing & Garnish

1/2 cups water or vegetable broth (additional, to adjust consistency)

2 tbs niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced clarified butter) or unsalted butter

2 tbs chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice (optional)

Method

Shiro Base

Prep

Measure out chickpea (besan) flour. Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic and ginger, and have berbere and other spices ready.

Make a slurry

In a medium bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of the water into the chickpea flour until smooth and lump-free. This slurry prevents clumps when cooking.

Sauté aromatics

Heat the oil in a medium to large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped red onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent browning.

Add garlic & ginger

Add the minced garlic and ginger to the onions and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant, stirring constantly so they don't burn.

Bloom spices

Stir in the berbere spice mix and mitmita (if using). Cook the spices with the aromatics for 1 minute to bloom their flavors. Add the tomato paste and cook another 30–45 seconds, stirring to combine.

Combine slurry & liquid

Pour the remaining 3 1/2 cups water (or up to 3 cups water + 1/2 cup broth for extra depth) into the pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Slowly whisk in the chickpea flour slurry a little at a time to avoid lumps.

Simmer to thicken

Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth and velvety, about 10–15 minutes. If it becomes too thick, add up to the additional 1/2 cup water or broth (from the Finishing section) a few tablespoons at a time to reach desired consistency (shiro is typically spoonable but not runny).

Season

Stir in salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning—add more salt, berbere, or mitmita to achieve the desired heat and depth.

Finishing & Garnish

Enrich with niter kibbeh

Turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of niter kibbeh or unsalted butter until fully incorporated. This adds a rich, aromatic finish to the shiro.

Adjust acidity & herbs

If desired, stir in 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice to brighten flavors and sprinkle chopped cilantro or parsley on top for freshness.

Serve

Spoon shiro into a shallow bowl or platter. Serve hot with injera, rice, or flatbread. Shiro can be ladled onto injera and portions torn off to scoop the stew. Leftovers thicken when chilled—reheat gently with a splash of water or broth, stirring until smooth.