Kosher Korner: Cholent from the Yishuv

Background:

Throughout our history, Jewish communities across the world have developed slow-cooked stews in order to have warm food on Shabbat without violating its laws. Ashkenazi Jews developed Cholent, and Sephardic Jews came up with similar stews like Chamin and Dafina. The following highly imprecise recipe for a large batch of Cholent was conveyed to the author by a Rabbi from the Yishuv of Neve Daniel.

Ingredients:

• Four onions
• Cholent Meat ( a couple pounds)
• Six potatoes
• One pack of barley
• One head of garlic
• A pinch of Salt
• A smidgen of Pepper
• A dash of Paprika

Directions:

1. On Friday afternoon, slice the onions into large pieces and begin to fry them in a small amount of oil.
2. When the onions begin to turn brown, add the Cholent meat. Continue to fry until fully browned. Then, transfer the mixture to a Crock-Pot.
3. Peel the potatoes (optional), and slice them each into a few large chunks. Add to the Crock-Pot.
4. Add the pack of barley and mix in.
5. Break the head of garlic into cloves and add all of them. Mix in.
6. Add the aforementioned precise measurements of salt, pepper and paprika, until you feel that you’ve added too much.
7. Add more salt, pepper, and paprika.
8. Cook on low until early afternoon, then serve for Shabbat lunch!