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1
Toast the Chickpea Flour
5 Mins
Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)
Tip the chickpea flour into a dry pan over medium heat. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes, until it smells nutty and turns a shade darker. Tip it straight into a bowl so it does not go on cooking in the hot pan.
This dry roast is what makes shiro taste roasted and nutty instead of raw and pasty — do not skip it, and do not walk away, because flour scorches fast.
Done when: The flour smells like roasted nuts and has darkened one shade; it should not smell burnt.
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2
Soften the Onions
10 Mins
Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)
Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and add the chopped onion with a pinch of the salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft, translucent and just starting to colour at the edges.
A heavy pot spreads the heat and stops the onion catching; if it starts to brown too fast, turn the heat down, not up.
Done when: Onions are soft and translucent, with no raw crunch left.
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3
Build the Spiced Base
5 Mins
Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)
Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, ginger and berbere. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens and the spices smell warm and fragrant.
Cooking the tomato paste takes away its tinny edge and deepens the colour of the finished stew.
Done when: The base is dark red, glossy with oil, and smells of warm spice.
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4
Whisk in the Flour and Simmer
20 Mins
Low simmer, about 90°C (195°F)
Turn the heat to low. Add the toasted chickpea flour a little at a time, whisking constantly, then pour in the water in a slow stream, still whisking, until the stew is smooth. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon and scraping the bottom, until thick, glossy and bubbling slowly. Add a splash more water if it gets thicker than you like.
Add the flour slowly and keep whisking — a fast pour makes lumps that no amount of stirring will remove. A balloon whisk is the best tool for this step.
Done when: The stew is thick enough to mound on a spoon, smooth and glossy, with no raw flour taste.
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5
Rest and Adjust
5 Mins
Off the heat
Take the pot off the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes. Stir once more and taste for salt — the stew thickens as it cools, so add a splash of hot water now if you want it looser. Serve hot, in a bowl or a small clay pot, with injera.
Shiro firms up quickly off the heat, so serve it straight away; if it waits, loosen it with a little hot water and a good stir.
Done when: A smooth, thick stew that holds its shape on a spoon and tastes rich, nutty and gently hot.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Take the pot off the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes — the stew thickens as it cools and the flavours settle. Stir once more, taste for salt, and serve hot in a small bowl or clay pot with injera for scooping.
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