Ethiopian
Vegan
Gluten free
SpicyShimbra asa (chickpea 'fish' in berbere sauce)
Shimbra asa: fried chickpea-dough diamonds simmered in a deep red berbere wat
During the 55 days of Lent, when fish and meat are off the table in Orthodox homes of Gondar and Gojjam, cooks make 'chickpea fish': a firm dough of chickpea flour cut into diamonds, fried until golden, then dropped into a dark, oily berbere sauce. The pieces soak up the wat but keep a pleasant bite, a bit like a dense dumpling, and the sauce itself is rich with slow-cooked onion, garlic and ginger. It is a dish for fasting-day guests and Lenten Sundays, served on injera with gomen and a spoon of senafich. Everything is plant-based and fried in oil, so it suits the fast. A common mistake is a dough that is too soft, which breaks up in the sauce; it should feel like firm play dough before you roll it. Chef's tip: add the fried pieces to the sauce only in the last few minutes and shake the pan rather than stirring, so the diamonds stay whole.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 470 kcal
Ingredients
For the chickpea pieces
- 9 oz chickpea flour
- 1 garlic clovefinely grated
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ cup warm waterapproximately
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil for frying
For the berbere sauce
- 2 red onionsvery finely chopped
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- 2 ½ tbsp berbere
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups hot water
- ¾ tsp salt
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz chickpea flour, 1 garlic clove and ½ tsp salt in a bowl. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and most of ½ cup warm water and knead for 3 minutes into a firm, smooth dough that holds a fingerprint without sticking. Add the last water a spoonful at a time only if it cracks.
5 minStep 2: Press or roll the dough to 1 cm thick on a lightly oiled board and cut into 3 cm diamonds.
Step 3: Heat 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil for frying in a small deep pan over a medium heat to about 350°F, when a scrap of dough sizzles at once. Fry the diamonds in batches for 3–4 minutes, turning, until golden and crisp outside. Drain on kitchen paper.
12 minStep 4: For the sauce, cook 2 red onions in a dry heavy pan over a medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and reduced. Add a splash of water if they catch.
8 minStep 5: Add 5 tbsp vegetable oil, 4 garlic cloves and 1 tbsp fresh ginger and cook for 3 minutes until fragrant.
3 minStep 6: Stir in 2 ½ tbsp berbere and 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until the paste darkens and the oil turns brick red. Do not let the berbere scorch, or it turns bitter.
5 minStep 7: Pour in 2 cups hot water, add ¾ tsp salt and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the oil shines on top.
15 minStep 8: Add the fried pieces, shake the pan to coat them and simmer for 5 minutes until they have soaked up some sauce but still hold their shape. Serve hot with injera.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does shimbra asa (chickpea 'fish' in berbere sauce) take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of garlic clove?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of red onions?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
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