Shimbra Wat (Chickpeas With Spicy Flaxseed Paste)

Name: Shimbra Wat (Chickpeas With Spicy Flaxseed Paste)
Yield: 3–4 servings
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons brown or golden flaxseed; 3 tablespoons awaze dipping sauce; 14 oz (400 g) cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed; Salt

By Yohanis Gebreyesus

July 14, 2020

Chickpeas in red sauce on rolled up injera flatbread.

Photo by Peter Cassidy

This dish comes from Lalibela—one-time imperial capital and home to eleven magnificent monolithic churches hewn from a single rock some nine hundred years ago. It is also a place where chickpeas, the Desi variety in particular, are extremely popular. Cooking the awaze before blending it with the legumes tempers the chili-rich sauce's heat. Ideally, serve with injera, which will soak up the ample rust-red sauce.

Recipe information

Yield
3–4 servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons brown or golden flaxseed

3 tablespoons awaze dipping sauce

14 oz (400 g) cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Salt

Preparation

Step 1
Heat a small dry frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the flaxseed and lightly dry-toast for about 2 minutes, stirring and shaking the pan, until aromatic. Transfer to a dish and leave to cool. Once cool, grind using an electric spice or coffee grinder.
Step 2
In a Dutch oven or sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of water over low heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of the awaze. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously, then gradually work in the remaining 2 tablespoons of awaze, along with the ground flaxseed and 1 cup (250 ml) of water. Reduce the heat to its lowest possible level, cover, and cook, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes. Add a touch more water if it looks like the mixture is drying out—it should still be a bit runny at the end.
Step 3
Meanwhile, place the chickpeas in a saucepan and cover with 2 cups (500 ml) of water. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat, and soak in the liquid until ready to use. Drain the chickpeas, reserving about 1 cup (240 ml) of the liquid. Add the chickpeas to the awaze-flaxseed mixture, generously season with salt, and mix well. Tip in some of the reserved cooking water if needed so that the sauce is a touch runny and evenly coats the chickpeas. Cook for a couple of minutes to combine the flavors before serving.