Shiro Wat

Here's another Ethiopian recipe for those of you who just couldn't get enough last week. I know this resembles baby food (mashed squash perhaps), but it's actually made from dried, ground chickpeas. I think the orange color comes more from the berbere (an Ethiopian spice mixture) that's added. It may look like it belongs in a Gerber jar, but whatever you do, don't feed it to your baby!

shiro wat served with injera

SHIRO WAT

Serves 6-8 people

1 cup finely diced red or yellow onions (or pureed in food processor)
1/2 cup canola oil or vegetable oil

3 cups water

1 to 1 1/2 cups shiro powder

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

salt to taste

berbere*

*If your shiro powder is mitin shiro (shiro powder with berbere already added), no additional berbere will be needed. If your shiro powder is the pale variety (with no spice added), you will need to add berbere to taste. Keep in mind that Ethiopian people traditionally eat their shiro very spicy.

1.      Fry onions with oil in a saucepan over medium heat until slightly brown.

2.      Add the water carefully and bring to a boil.

3.      Sprinkle in shiro a little at a time, stirring with a wire whisk to prevent lumps.

4.      Add garlic, salt and berbere (if using) and cook until sauce is smooth and thick.  If sauce gets too thick to stir, you may need to add a dab more water.  If it is too thin, try adding a few tablespoons more of shiro powder. 

5.      Remove from heat. Serve hot or cold with injera. Shiro reheats nicely, but you may need to add more water to thin it out (it thickens as it sits).

from http://ethiopia.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/shiro-wat

onions frying

fried onions with water added

shiro powder--mine is deep orange
(a sign that the berbere is already added)

shiro & berbere are both available at: ethiopianspices.com

garlic cloves

berbere (I didn't add any to my dish,
since my shiro already has it added)

adding the shiro powder

if you prefer yours thinner, just add more water

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