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Shiro Powder

Ethiopian ground spiced pulse flour used for shiro wat.

Shiro Powder — illustrative ingredient image

About Shiro Powder

Shiro powder is an Ethiopian ground pulse flour or spiced pulse blend used to make shiro wat and related sauces. It serves as both a seasoning and a thickening base. Formulations vary: some are mostly ground chickpeas or other pulses, while others include a more pronounced mixture of spices and aromatics.

The cooked dish is usually savoury, earthy, and mildly to warmly spiced, with pulse flavour and a smooth, thick body. Finer powders produce a more uniform sauce, while coarser or less finely milled blends can feel slightly grainy. The balance of spice, salt, richness, and pulse character depends on the blend.

Shiro powder is a dry, flour-like mixture ranging from pale beige to deeper orange or brown according to its pulse and spices. It is whisked into water, broth, oil, or another cooking liquid and simmered until thick. The dry powder becomes a spoonable stew or sauce, often served with flatbread or other accompaniments.

Ingredient type
powder

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Where shiro powder appears

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Food connections are still being added.

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Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for shiro powder

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Shiro Powder

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Shiro Powder nutrition & diet

Shiro Powder nutritional value

Representative benchmark: Spices, not further specified

Representative nutrition benchmarkOfficial table values for a comparable food category, not a laboratory measurement of this exact ingredient.

Per 100 g of 100 g edible portion in the named official reference form.

Calories
349kcal
Protein
12.1g
Carbs
30.5g
Fat
14.5g

Representative benchmark from a comparable official food-composition category; it is not a laboratory measurement of this exact ingredient. The displayed reference form must be considered, and species, cultivar, recipe, brand, processing and preparation can change values.

Portions & preparation

Establish the exact Ethiopian shiro powder recipe before using a reference: pulse species, degree of milling, roasting, spices, and any added oil or seasoning may differ. Measure the dry powder separately from the water, stew base, and serving accompaniments, especially when prepared as shiro wat.

Compare the right form: Match the specific Ethiopian shiro powder blend, identifying pulse flour, roasting, spices, salt, oil, and any packaged additions.

Diet considerations

Shiro powder is generally pulse-derived and plant-origin, but this identity must be confirmed rather than assumed from the name. Recipes and packaged blends may include spices, oil, salt, or animal-derived additions. Compatibility changes further when shiro wat contains butter, clarified butter, meat, dairy, or cereal-based accompaniments.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Pacific Nutrient Database 2020 — 01.1.9.4.0_99 ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .