Shiro Wat Chickpea Soup

Shiro Wat is a creamy bean soup, a delightful African dish known as T'afach (meaning yummy in Amharic) in Ethiopia. Its main ingredient is pureed chickpeas, simmered with finely chopped onions, garlic, and fiery Ethiopian spices, traditionally served with homemade injera bread.

Ethiopian Shiro Wat bean puree with injera bread.

Shiro is a soup puree

Shiro is a soup puree whose primary ingredient is puree beans with minced onions, garlic and Berbere spice. Berbere is a hot spice blend that is an integral ingredient in Ethiopian cuisine whose name means hot in the Amharic language and is pronounced bear-bear-ee.

Northern Ethiopia shiro bean puree ingredients and directions.

Ingredients.

Two 15-ounce cans chickpea or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed.

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth.

2 large onions, chopped finely.

4 cloves garlic, minced finely.

1/2 cup ground dried spicy chilies.

1/4 cup ground paprika.

1 teaspoon ground powdered ginger.

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom.

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander.

1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds.

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.

1/4 teaspoon salt.

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice.

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions.

In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, add oil. Add the onion, garlic and spices stirring a few times, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and broth and simmer 5 minutes. Puree the bean mixture in a blender and serve hot with our Injera bread recipe.

Injera Bread Recipe

Injera bread requires simple ingredients flour, salt, water, and time. Injera is traditionally eaten in the African countries of Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, and Eritrea. Injera pronounced In-jer-ruh is thicker than a crepe but thinner than a pancake.

Ethiopia bread recipe Injera bread ingredients and directions.

Ingredients.

2 cups teff flour.

2 cups water.

¼ teaspoon salt.

Vegetable oil for coating the pan.

Directions.

Mix flour, water, and salt. Put the batter aside overnight or up to three days to ferment. The batter will start to bubble and obtain its well-known tartness.

Heat a lightly oiled cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. In a large mixing bowl add all ingredients and lightly mix well. Heat a lightly oiled cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. 

Coat skillet with a thin layer of batter. Cook until holes appear on the surface of the bread flip and repeat cooking on the other side. Cover completed bread with a damp cloth.