Oomis, shkoyach 🙂
I heard a neighbor once describe 13th Avenue in Boro Park as a chulent, since all types converge there.
In truth, the idea of combining salty, spicy, savory, and sweet flavors may seem gross, but these create a balanced flavor that more than compensates for the lack of meat. Although, if I were making a meat chulent, I’d use the same flavorings, and also add browned marech bones for added flavor.