Silken Chickpea Flour Puree
ሽሮ ወጥ·(shi-ro wot)
The Grandmother's Fridge: Batch-Cooked Foundations
The smell of toasted chickpeas, garlic, and blooming berbere bubbling on the stove means absolute comfort is exactly twenty minutes away. Shiro Wot is the ultimate Ethiopian weeknight savior, leaning entirely on a pre-spiced chickpea flour blend called Miten Shiro and the non-negotiable magic of the dry-pan onion sweat. Do not reach for the oil bottle first. Let the onions steam out their moisture in a dry pan to concentrate their savory depth, creating a thick, bubbling puree that demands to be scooped up with torn pieces of fresh injera.
Ingredients
- red onion1 med
- Roma tomato1 med
- garlic4 large cloves
- fresh ginger1 tsp
- neutral oil or niter kibbeh1/3 cup
- berbere spice blend1 tbsp
- Miten Shiro powder1/2 cup
- hot water2 1/2 cup
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- garlic powder1/4 tsp
- jalapeño pepper1 small
Method
- 01
Puree the aromatics to drastically cut down prep time.
Pulse the red onion in a food processor until completely pureed and watery, then transfer to a small bowl. Rinse the bowl, add the tomato, garlic, and ginger, pulse until smooth, and set aside in a separate bowl.
- 02
Sweat the pureed onions in a completely dry pan.
Place a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat with absolutely no oil. Pour the pureed onions directly into the dry pan and stir frequently for five to seven minutes until the water evaporates and the harsh slurry transforms into a dry, concentrated paste.
- 03
Introduce the fat and bloom the spices.
Once the onions are dry and threatening to stick to the bottom, pour in the oil or kibbeh and fry for two minutes. Stir in the berbere spice and cook for sixty seconds, letting the hot fat wake up the aromatics and turn the oil a brilliant, deep red.
- 04
Build the foundational jam.
Pour in the pureed tomato, garlic, and ginger mixture. Cook for three to four minutes, stirring continuously, until the raw tomato smell burns off and the base darkens into a thick, savory paste.
- 05
Whisk in the chickpea flour and water.
Turn the heat down to low. Gradually rain the Miten Shiro powder into the pot with one hand while whisking vigorously with the other to prevent clumps from forming. Slowly pour in two cups of the hot water and the garlic powder, whisking continuously until the mixture is completely smooth.
- 06
Simmer to a bubbling, silken perfection.
Drop in the jalapeño halves, cover with a cracked lid, and simmer gently for fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom often so the flour doesn't burn. The stew is ready when the raw chickpea taste is gone, the texture resembles thick hummus, and little pools of red-tinted oil separate to the edges.
Notes
Sourcing the Shiro.
Miten Shiro is a heavily spiced, pre-roasted chickpea flour blend that takes days to make traditionally. Buy a high-quality import at your local Ethiopian market or online to keep in the fridge as your ultimate weeknight secret weapon.
The dry-pan rule.
American red onions hold significantly more water than Ethiopian varieties. Pureeing them and cooking them in a dry pan is mandatory to achieve the correct caramelization without boiling the onions in their own juices.
From Heirloom Ethiopian.