Shiro (ሽሮ)
Pan-Ethiopian (fasting tradition across all regions)
Shiro is Ethiopia's most foundational fasting sauce — a thick, smooth stew made from ground chickpea flour (shiro powder, which includes dried berbere and dried aromatics already blended into the flour) cooked in kibbe and water, achieving a consistency between hummus and a thick porridge. It is the fastest wot to prepare (under 30 minutes) and the most democratically consumed across all economic levels in Ethiopia. The shiro powder sold in Ethiopian markets is a pre-blended flour that varies by regional tradition and family recipe; the powder is whisked into hot kibbe and water, cooked until thick, and seasoned. Despite its simplicity, the quality of the shiro powder determines everything — cheap powder produces a flat, starchy result while quality shiro has the depth of a long-cooked stew.