United in Chamin: This is How We Stew It

*cue Montell Jordan as background music*

This recipe is one I was gatekeeping for a while. For those who are Jewish, this is the dish that will unite all of us--Sephardic, Ashkenazi, Mizrachi etc. No matter your background, I stand by the fact that this cholent is the best cholent of all cholents in existence...and it's not just cause I made it.

But before I explain, let's start with a brief explanation into what Cholent even is. This dish goes by many names--Chamin, Dafina, Skhina, Hamim, and Cholent are just a few of them.

Side Note: No ham was harmed in the making of this dish.

Chamin is a fairly medieval-looking stew that is typically cooked for Shabbat, or the Jewish Sabbath, and cooks over a low flame for 12 hours. Shabbat, also known as Sabbath, Shabbos, or the Day of Rest, is a weekly event that occurs sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday, and it is one of the most special days of the week to me and my family. Every Friday evening, we gather friends and family around a table overflowing with food and laughter as we recount stories of the week and bond without distractions.

Unfortunately, as a child, I wasn't too familiar with this experience. Why? Well, my family escaped from a country where a lot of our traditions weren't allowed to be practiced, so, for once, this is a recipe that doesn't have a funny anecdote about my dancing uncle or a genius chicken. Instead it has a new resurgence to me and my cultural identity. This is a dish I am unbelievably proud of (and not just because I got the stamp of approval for it from a cousin who hates Chamin). It is one I have built from scratch by listening to the stories of fellow Jewish people and their childhood memories surrounding this dish. It has the pomegranate molasses of the Mizrachi background, the Kishke of the Ashkenazi background, and the strong spices of the Sephardic and Ethiopian background.

It is a mini United Nations for the Jewish people. Here's a brief rundown of the process:

Prep the bone marrow, kishke, onion, and garlic.

Marinate the meat with the dry spice mix and browning.

Sear the meat, sauté the onions, and throw everything into a baking tray.

And voila! In 6 hours, you get a delicious stew that typically would take 12-18 hours to make.

Now, if you're not Jewish, don't be alarmed if you don't have any Kishke or pomegranate molasses as I will always provide a substitution at the bottom. If you do have a local Middle Eastern or Jewish specialty supermarket nearby, I recommend you check them out as you will likely be able to find these ingredients in one of the two.

Chamin it Up: No Exaggeration

(and no ham)

Ingredients

Serves 4-6 people

• 2.5 lb Rib Meat and Chuck, 2-3 inch cubes

• 1 lb Bone Marrow

• 2 c finely chopped Onion

• 6 Eggs

• 1 1/2 c Cholent Bean Mix (pinto, red kidney, navy, etc)

• 1/2 c Barley

• 2 Russet Potato or 4 Small Yukon potatoes (cut in 1 1/2 inch slices)

• 1 log of sliced Kishke

• 8 Garlic Cloves--6 minced, 2 smashed

Dry Ingredients

• 3 tbs Paprika

• 1 tsp Turmeric

• 2 tsp Garlic Powder

• 2 tsp Onion Powder

• 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika

• Pinch of Cumin

• 1/4 tsp Cayenne or Chili Flakes

• 2 tsp Black Pepper

• 1 tbsp Vegeta

Wet Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Pomegranate Molasses

• 1 tsp Browning

• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce

• 5 c Chicken Broth

• 1 tbsp Honey

• 4 Bay Leaves

Steps

1. Soak beans in cold water overnight. Strain and rinse. Be sure to remove any beans that float.

2. Mix all the dry spices together--paprika, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, black pepper, vegeta.

3. Season the chuck and rib meat with a tablespoon of the dry spice mix and browning. Mix well and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

5. Prep the onions, garlic, kishke, and bone marrow.

6. Add oil to a skillet. On high heat, sear the meat until browned. Remove from pan and add half of the onions and garlic. Sautee until golden brown. Remove onions from pan. Into this pan, add the broth, soy sauce, pomegranate molasses, bay leaves, and all of the dry mix to gather any of those delicious drippings.

7. Now, add everything in this order: Cholent beans, barley, potatoes, garlic, raw onions, bone marrow, cooked onions and garlic, meat, and water/broth mixture.

8. Put in the oven for 45 minutes at 425 F.

9. Lower to 325, add the eggs, and cover with foil.

10. Cook for 4-5 hours, checking every hour on the whether it needs more liquid. Add another 1/2 cup of water/broth if needed. You don't want it too dry or runny--like a stew consistency.

11. Raise oven to 450 F and cook uncovered for 15 more minutes.

12. Taste for seasoning near the end and add salt accordingly.

13. To serve, remove the eggs, peel them, and cut into quarters. Serve the chamin with the eggs on top.

Substitutions

Dairy Free: This contains no dairy.

Vegetarian: Substitute chicken broth for vegetable broth. Substitute all meat for 1 more cup of beans and 4 large portabella cap mushrooms. Add 1/4 c of melted butter or oil for a richer taste.

Vegan: See above and omit eggs. Substitute honey with brown sugar, monkfruit sweetener, or agave syrup.

Gluten Free: Substitute barley for brown rice.

No Rib Meat/Chuck: Can substitute with brisket.

No bone marrow: Substitute with any soup bones.

No Onion: Can use scallions or leeks.

No Eggs: Can omit eggs or add 1 pack of firm tofu.

No Cholent Mix: Can use any beans--pinto, kidney, or navy beans.

No Russet Potato: Any potato works.

No Garlic: Can use garlic powder.

No Pomegranate Molasses: Reduce 1/2 c of pomegranate juice with 1 tablespoon of sugar or can also use 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.

No browning or brown sugar: Regular sugar works, but before you sear the meat, place sugar in the pan with the oil. When it browns, add the meat.

No Soy Sauce: Can use vegeta, miso paste, or salt.

No Paprika: Can use 1/4 tsp of tomato paste diluted with water, 1/4 tsp of pepper paste diluted with water, or just omit.

No Garlic Powder: Can use 1 crushed garlic clove or 1/4 tsp of adobo seasoning.

No Onion Powder: Can add same amount of extra garlic powder

No turmeric: Omit entirely.

No Smoked Paprika: Add cumin, chipotle powder, or cayenne.

No Cumin: Add smoked paprika, coriander, or omit.

No Cayenne or chili flake (depends how spicy you like it): Any spicy pepper powder works.

No Black pepper: Can omit or substitute with chili flakes or cayenne.

No Salt: Use any soup mix, vegeta, or seasoning salt.

No Vegeta: See above.

No Kishke: Blend 3/4 cups of oil or shmaltz, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 tsp paprika, salt, black pepper, 1/2 celery stalk, 2 cups flour. Form into logs, wrap in parchment and foil, and bake covered at 350 for an hour. Slice and serve.

No Chicken/beef broth: Can mix water and soup mix, use vegetable broth, or water with salt.

No Honey: Use any sugar, agave syrup, monkfruit sweetener.

No bay leaves: Omit entirely or use one sprig of thyme.