Blessed Cholent

What bracha do you make on cholent?

Usually - hamotzi, because you eat it as part of the Shabbos morning [in Israel] or afternoon [in America] festive meal - followed by bentching and a deeeeeep sleeeeep!

But let's say you eat the cholent without bread. OK - you eat the cholent without bread. I said it! What bracha do you make?

Well, michdee [aramaic for "let's see]. The rule is that if you have a mixture of foods which includes a mezonos, everything is covered by the mezonos. Cholent which has barley [or other mezonos like kishka] should therefore be a mezonos. Case closed. Let's eat!

Not so fast. Some poskim say that since the cholent includes large significant pieces of potatoes and beans, a ha'adama would also be required. And if there is meat in there, then a shehakol as well. See Piskei Teshuvos Volume 2 page 810.

PS -While looking into this I found out that in hebrew, kishka is called מעיים ממולאים - stuffed intestines. I don't know about you but that sorta takes away my appetite:-).