Shiro and shrimp (or scrambled eggs) with rue

In January, I travelled through Ethiopia for 3 weeks, an absolutely amazing experience. There was a mix of history, lots of history, wildlife, tribal communities and of course food. One of the events that my wonderful guide, and now friend, Taffesse, curated for me was a cooking session with Rose in the mountains. Rose taught me about a host of traditional recipes, and of course, shiro. As we left, she walked out with a bag of shiro, a gift, one that has come home with me. I make shiro, sparingly at home, always remembering her grace.

https://khajazafarullah.substack.com/p/cooking-with-rose-in-the-simian-mountains?r=3eyvey

Let's start with what Shiro is. It is a mix of ground legumes, chickpeas, fava beans, and white peas; everyone has a unique combination, with spices and the spicy berbere chilli. It is bright red in colour, it is fiery.

Then there is rue herb. I first tasted this herb as a tea; my guide shoved it in front of me, and to be honest, I did not like it. So we tried the next day again, dipping is mild, the flavours milder and less pungent. I began to see its charm, and then I noticed it everywhere. It is definitely an acquired taste, but then you grow to love it, so a bag had to come home with the shiro. Ruta chalepensis) is known locally as Tena'Adam (Amharic for "Health of Adam"). It is a highly aromatic, bitter evergreen shrub with distinct bluish-green leaves and small yellow flowers, deeply integrated into Ethiopian culinary and traditional medicinal practices.

I came home and wanted to see how I could use this shiro in a unique way. This is a recipe that I developed. It maintains the heart of the flavours of Ethiopia, the fiery shiro, and the burst of rue, but is presented in a more contemporary style. I substituted eggs for shrimp for the vegetarians, but conceptually, the dish is the same.

For more recipes from Zafar, click here.

Ingredients:

For the shrimp:

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon fresh rue

1/2 lb small shrimp

Salt, to taste

For the Shiro:

1 onion, finely diced

3 tablespoons oil

3 cups warm water

3 tablespoons shiro and berbere flour

6 cloves garlic, minced

Salt, to taste

Method:

Start by making the Shiro:

Add the onions and cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. Do not let them turn colour or char. Add the oil and cook for 5 minutes until the onions are a light golden.

Add the water and bring to a simmer. Add the shiro, sprinkling it in. Stir the water continuously with a spatula or whisk as you add the shiro flour to prevent lumps. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, so that the shiro does not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. The shiro will thicken, and the oils will float to the surface.

To make the shrimp:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Add the rue and fry for 20 seconds. Add the shrimp and salt and cook until the shrimp are pink and curled. It is best to do this right before you serve the dish.

To serve:

Heat up the shiro, add the garlic, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Place the shiro in the centre of a plate, and it should naturally spread out into a pool. Top with the shrimp. Serve immediately.

For those who want to make shire powder at home:

For the shiro flour:

900 grams dried green peas

350 grams dried fava beans

250 grams dried small chickpeas

For the berbere powder:

150 grams dried berbere chillies

50 grams fresh ginger

250 grams fresh garlic

150 grams fresh shallots

10 grams of fresh rue, locally called tena adam (biological name ruta chalepensis)