Buticha

Name: Buticha
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Ethiopia
Ingredients: 200 g chickpea flour; 700 ml water; 1 red onion, finely diced; 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped; Juice of 2 lemons; 80 ml olive oil; 1½ tsp salt; 2 garlic cloves, grated; Fresh coriander

Local name: ቡጢጫ

Chickpea flour whisked into water off the heat, sharpened with lemon and jalapeño, finished with olive oil.

Published on 5 June 2026·Updated on 10 September 2026

VeganGluten-free#chickpea flour#lemon#dip#fasting#quick

Photo: Artem.G , CC BY-SA 4.0

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 25 min
Serves: 6
Difficulty: Easy

Method

Bring 400 ml of the water to the boil in a pan, then take it off the heat.
Whisk the chickpea flour into the remaining 300 ml cold water to a batter with no lumps.
Pour the batter into the hot water while whisking without stopping. It thickens within seconds.
Return to low heat and whisk for 5 minutes. The raw smell of the flour goes.
Cool for 20 minutes, then whisk again to smooth the texture.
Beat in the garlic, lemon juice, half the oil and the salt.
Spread in a shallow dish, top with red onion and jalapeño, pour over the rest of the oil and scatter coriander.

Buticha is cooked away from fierce heat so it stays creamy rather than firm, unlike panisse or socca made from the same flour. Cook it five minutes longer and it will set solid as it cools.

The techniques this recipe uses

Reduce
Uncovered, water leaves and flavour concentrates. It is done when the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

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Nutrition per serving

Calories: 259 kcal
Protein: 8.1 g
Fat: 14.6 g
Carbohydrate: 24.7 g
Fibre: 4.2 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know the chickpea flour is cooked through?

By smell and taste. Raw flour smells green and beany and leaves a powdery, drying feel in the mouth. After five minutes of whisking over low heat that smell is gone and the mixture tastes plainly neutral, ready to take the lemon and garlic.

Can it be made ahead?

Yes, up to two days in the fridge, but it firms up noticeably as it chills. Take it out half an hour before serving and whisk it hard again with a splash of water and a little lemon juice to bring back the creamy texture. Add the raw onion and coriander only at the last moment.

Could I blend cooked chickpeas instead of using flour?

No, that would be a different dish. The whole texture of buticha comes from flour gelling in hot water, which gives a smooth, supple cream. Blended chickpeas would give a grainy purée, closer to hummus, without that elastic body.

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