Shiro Spice

Name: Shiro Spice
Yield: About 2 cups (flour-forward, so yield is much larger than a pure spice blend)
Ingredients: Dried chile powder (a mix of mild and hot varieties) — 1/4 cup; Paprika — 2 tbsp; Fenugreek seed — 1 tbsp; Ginger — 1 tbsp; Korarima (Ethiopian cardamom) — 1 tsp; Black pepper — 1 tsp; Coriander seed — 1 tsp; Cinnamon — 1/2 tsp; Cloves — 1/2 tsp; Nutmeg — 1/2 tsp; Salt — 1 tsp; Roasted chickpea flour as the base, combined with berbere or a milder standalone spice mix (garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, korarima) depending on the desired heat level

The Quirky Foodster Team

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About 2 cups (flour-forward, so yield is much larger than a pure spice blend)

Servings

Ingredients

Dried chile powder (a mix of mild and hot varieties) — 1/4 cup
Paprika — 2 tbsp
Fenugreek seed — 1 tbsp
Ginger — 1 tbsp
Korarima (Ethiopian cardamom) — 1 tsp
Black pepper — 1 tsp
Coriander seed — 1 tsp
Cinnamon — 1/2 tsp
Cloves — 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg — 1/2 tsp
Salt — 1 tsp
Roasted chickpea flour as the base, combined with berbere or a milder standalone spice mix (garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, korarima) depending on the desired heat level

Method

The chickpea flour itself is roasted before grinding (if starting from whole chickpeas) or used as pre-ground roasted flour, then combined with the spice component.
The chickpea flour roasting is the essential step; the spice component follows the toast-then-grind method as needed.

Origin: Ethiopia — the spice blend for shiro, a chickpea-flour-based stew that is one of Ethiopia’s most common everyday dishes.

Use: Whisked into hot water or broth to form the shiro stew directly — this blend IS the dish’s near-entire ingredient list beyond water and oil.

Classic Dishes: Shiro wat (the dish sharing this blend’s name, one of Ethiopia’s most common everyday and fasting-day dishes given its meat-free nature).

Storage: Keeps 2-3 months sealed and dark, given the roasted flour base.

Variations: Countless commercial and regional versions exist, varying primarily in heat level (mild/alicha versus spiced/kay).

Substitutions: Plain chickpea (besan) flour plus berbere as a home-assembled approximation.