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Shiro (Silky Spiced Chickpea and Broad Bean Stew)
A luscious, velvety Eritrean staple stew made from roasted legume flour simmered with caramelized onions, garlic, and spiced clarified butter.
The story
Consumed daily nationwide and elevated as the backbone of Orthodox Christian Lent (Tsom), Shiro is Eritrea's most universally loved culinary treasure. Made from sun-dried chickpeas and fava beans roasted with aromatic spices before being stone-ground into a silky flour called Shiro powder, it provides profound umami without meat. In traditional Eritrean homes, Shiro Tegabino is cooked and served bubbling violently in handcrafted clay pots called tsebhi pot or silit, delivering an irresistible molten texture.
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