Shiro: Ethiopian chickpea stew with flatbreads

Shiro is a silky, spiced chickpea-flour stew eaten all over Ethiopia, especially on fasting days. Served here with a turmeric cabbage and potato side (atakilt) and warm flatbreads to scoop it all up.

Ingredients

• 2 Red onions, very finely chopped
• 90 ml Vegetable oil, 60ml for the shiro, 30ml for the cabbage
• 0.3 Garlic, 4 cloves, crushed
• 10 g Fresh ginger, grated
• 10 g Berbere spice
• 2 Tomatoes, finely chopped
• 120 g Gram flour
• 1 Vegetable stock cubes, made up to 750ml
• 5 g Salt
• 1 Onions, sliced
• 3 g Ground turmeric
• 2 g Ground cumin
• 200 g Carrots, sliced
• 400 g Potatoes, in chunks
• 0.5 Green cabbage, shredded
• 8 Flatbreads

Method

1. Put the red onions in a dry pan over a medium heat and cook, stirring, until soft and starting to colour. Then add 60ml oil.
2. Stir in the garlic, ginger and berbere and cook for 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and cook until soft.
3. Whisk the gram flour into the stock until there are no lumps. Pour it into the pan, whisking all the time, then simmer gently, stirring often, until thick, smooth and no longer tasting raw. Add water if it gets too thick; it should be like a thick soup.
4. Meanwhile, fry the sliced onion in the rest of the oil, add the turmeric and cumin, then the carrots and potatoes. Stir for a few minutes, add the cabbage, a pinch of salt and a splash of water, cover and cook until the potatoes are tender.
5. Warm the flatbreads. Serve the shiro and the cabbage and potatoes side by side, with flatbreads for tearing and scooping.