Cho·lent [chaw-luhnt, chuhl-uhnt; Yiddish chawlnt] A stewed or baked dish, especially of meat and beans, served on the Sabbath but cooked the day before or overnight over a slow fire.

A little bit of history..

Also known as “chamim” (hot) in Hebrew, cholent comes from the concept mentioned in the Talmud – that we must eat a hot dish at Shabbat lunch. While the written law prohibits cooking on Shabbat, the oral law explains that one can use a fire that was lit before Shabbat to keep food warm that has already been cooked. This is where the slow- cooked stew, otherwise known as ‘cholent’ stepped in. The traditional ingredients in a cholent vary between Ashkenzic and Sephardic Jewery, and are essentially foods that cook well over a long period of time. Staple ingredients in an Ashkaznic Cholent includes potatoes, legumes, meat, onions, spices and often kishke. A Sephardic cholent may use rice over potatoes, chicken over meat, chickpeas and eggs. With society these days focused on innovative and creative cooking, I would be pretty curious to see the evolution of the cholent.

Spot the Nutrition...

Barley and beans. Two essential ingredients used in a classic cholent. Although they may be disguised amongst the masses of other ingredients in the pot, their benefits remain. Both are excellent sources of dietary fibre. 100g of uncooked barley gives us 12g of dietary fibre, while 100g of kidney beans provides  21.5g. These amounts of fibre make it easy to meet the daily recommendations of 25-30g of fibre for adults. Dietary fibre is a bit of a wonder-nutrient in the benefits it provides. It offers us healthy bowel habits (goodbye constipation), reduces cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of bowel cancer, helps us feel fuller for longer and aids with digestion and weight loss. Pass the cholent please, I want some fibre!