The idea behind cholent was those were the ingredients easiest to hand in Eastern Europe – meat, potatoes and beans. So they put them in a pot and left them overnight. In the middle east, they used rice and chicken with a variety of spices, which is called hamin. I switch between the two (my husband was brought up with a lot of sefardi cooking since his mother was sefardi), but my mother very often makes beef or lamb stew, chicken casserole or a good thick soup like bean soup. It doesn’t have to be cholent but it does have to be left overnight on a fire.
ChaniE, even if it’s hot we should still serve hot food, since we are making a statement against the zdukim, who davka had cold food shabbos morning cause it is assur to cook fresh.