Shiro wat
ሽሮ ወጥ
Ground chickpea stew — silky, berbere-warm, and the pot that looks like nothing until you taste it.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: ሽሮ ወጥ.
0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Medium heat
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price

About
Shiro is powdered chickpea (often already seasoned) cooked in onion, garlic and oil until it becomes a thick sauce. Shop shiro powder is how homes do it. Plain chickpea flour plus berbere is the stand-in. It should be smooth. Lumps mean you dumped the flour into cold water.
Ingredients
- Chickpea flour150 g
- Onion1
- Garlic4 clove
- Berbere15 ml
- Tomato (optional)1 small
- Neutral oil59 ml
- Water700 ml
- Salt4.9 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Cook onion in oil until soft. Garlic, berbere, optional tomato.
10 minStep 2
Whisk chickpea flour into the water, then into the pot. Stir on medium-low until thick and the raw smell goes, 12–15 minutes. Salt.
15 min
Adapt this recipe
The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.
Substitutions
Chickpea flour → Blended cooked chickpeas
Grainier. Still a pot.
Tips
- Seasoned shiro powder may already contain berbere. Taste before you dump more.
- A cracked chilli in the oil is a house heat.
History & culture
Everyday fasting food. Also a restaurant order that looks modest and disappears first.
Legume flours are highland practicality. The seasoned powder is a later convenience.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation. Original editorial adaptation for I Want Some Food. Not copied from another recipe site. Official recipe photography is pending. Photograph: Photograph supplied by the editorial kitchen. (Editorial supply).
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.
How long does Shiro wat take?
35 min all in — 10 min prep, 25 min cook. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 bowls. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Medium heat.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Vegan.
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Saucepan.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Chickpea flour → Blended cooked chickpeas. Grainier. Still a pot.
Any tips from this recipe?
Seasoned shiro powder may already contain berbere. Taste before you dump more. A cracked chilli in the oil is a house heat.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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