Ethiopian Shiro Wat

A silky vegan Ethiopian-style chickpea stew gets its depth from patiently cooked onion, tomato paste, ginger, garlic, and berbere, then turns rich with a carefully whisked flour slurry.

70 min

6 servings

Velvety russet shiro wat in a ceramic bowl is served with torn injera and bright cabbage salad.

Ingredients

2 tbsp neutral oil

2 medium yellow onions, very finely minced

4 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 to 3 tbsp berbere

1 1/2 cups chickpea flour

5 cups warm low-sodium vegetable broth, divided

1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

Injera or cooked rice and bright cabbage salad, for serving

Equipment

Heavy Dutch oven · Wooden spoon · Whisk · Medium bowl · Fine grater

Control the heat

Begin with 1 tbsp berbere, then add more only after the stew has simmered; blends vary widely in heat.

Keep it scoopable

Serve promptly with injera for scooping, or offer rice when a fork-and-bowl meal is more practical.

Build the aromatic base

01. Mince the onion very finely and grate the garlic and ginger so they dissolve into the stew.

02. Cook the onion with oil and salt over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring until glossy and soft without browning.

03. Add garlic, ginger, tomato paste, and 1 tbsp berbere; cook on low for 8 minutes, scraping often until dark and fragrant.

Whisk and simmer

04. Whisk chickpea flour with 2 cups warm broth until smooth, breaking every dry pocket before adding it.

05. Whisk the slurry into the base over low heat, then incorporate the remaining 3 cups broth until evenly russet.

06. Simmer on low for 16 minutes; stir and scrape every 2 minutes so the thickening stew does not catch.

Finish and serve

07. Add up to 2 tbsp more berbere for heat, or loosen with warm broth if the shiro becomes too thick.

08. Serve the hot shiro with injera or rice and a bright cabbage salad for a crisp contrast.