cholent

Cholent is a traditional Jewish stew prepared for Shabbat. It is closely associated with Ashkenazi communities, though similar Sabbath stews exist in Sephardi and Mizrahi cuisines, where it is often called hamin. The dish is designed to be cooked slowly before Shabbat and served hot on the Sabbath without violating prohibitions on work during that period.

Typical cholent contains dried beans and barley as a starch base, along with potatoes and meat such as beef or brisket. Other common ingredients include onions, garlic, and sometimes kishke (stuffed intestine) or hard-boiled eggs. Ingredients vary by tradition and family; some versions use chickpeas, lentils, or rice in place of or in addition to beans and barley.

Preparation is usually done Friday afternoon or evening: the ingredients are placed in a heavy pot, brought to a boil, then transferred to a low-heat oven or hot plate to cook for many hours, often overnight. The goal is to have a finished, ready-to-eat dish for Saturday lunch, with the flavors developing over time.

Regional variants reflect local tastes and available ingredients. In Eastern European Jewish communities, beans and barley are common; in North African and Middle Eastern Jewish communities, chickpeas, lentils, and different spices may predominate. The term cholent is used primarily in Ashkenazi contexts, while hamin is widely used for Sephardic versions.