Cholent

Cholent is a staple in every Jewish household. It originates from the Middle East and has become a standard meal made on Shabbat. In the 9th century the invention of Cholent was created. The prohibitory laws on Shabbat forbid kindling a fire. So these Jews decided to go to the bakery before Shabbat and place raw ingredients in a pot. They would have the oven already on and slow cook the stew through the night until after synagogue services the next morning. This ingenious strategy not only introduced the first “crock pot”, but also avoided any violation of Jewish law. From then on Cholent spread like a wild fire and embedded itself across different continents due to its popularity. Until this day Cholent is a popular food on Shabbat. My father has his own secret Cholent recipe, shared with no one, which he obsesses over. But what actually is Cholent? Cholent is a stew primarily made up of beans, barley, flanken meat, potatoes and water. Based on what I saw my father do in the kitchen I believe he adds in other special ingredients such as salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and bbq sauce, but each individual has their own unique array of ingredients. Depending on where and when you lived the tradition of your Cholent recipe varies. In Morocco and Spain they would add rice,chickpeas and eggs and in different parts of Tunisia they would add lamb and artichoke. 

The recipe I would like to present is a classic Ashkenazi (European Jews) recipe. The first step is to place 2 yellow onions and 2 potatoes at the bottom of your crock pot. Then season your stew meat(2 lb) with salt and pepper and place it in the pot on top of the onions. Following that pour 1/2 cup of kidney beans and 1 cup of barley into the pot with a tablespoon of paprika, a teaspoon of cumin, a teaspoon of turmeric and a teaspoon of chili powder. Then if you prefer a sweeter Cholent add 2 tablespoons of honey. Afterwards, pour water on the raw ingredients until the beans are fully covered. Set the crock pot timer to at least 8 hours and wait until the next morning. You will wake up to the smell of your fresh savory Cholent. As a kid I remember waking up to the smell of the strong spices and a steamy house on Shabbat morning. It gave me a feeling of comfort, reminding me that today is no ordinary day, but a holiday(Shabbat). It’s become nostalgic for me. Even as a freshman in college it still gives me an unconscious feeling of warmth, joy and belonging. A sense of belonging to my culture, religion and heritage and I hope once you smell and finish your Cholent you will have a similar response.

Ingredients:

• 2 yellow onions
• 2 small potatoes
• 2lbs of flanken meat
• 1 cup barley
• 1⁄2 cup kidney beans
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons honey(optional)
• 3-4 cups of water
• Salt and pepper to taste