Shola is a traditional dish that is based on a kind of short-grain sticky rice, which is also referred to as shola. The dish has been prepared in both sweet and savory versions, although the latter version is more common these days. Savory shola is a traditional home-cooked dish that is typically made by combining short-grain sticky rice and mash mung beans or split peas, and it can also contain some meat in it such as beef or lamb.

Warm and hearty, shola is ideally enjoyed during the cold months, and it is usually accompanied by a glass of plain yogurt, quroot (dried curd), along with a fresh vegetable salad. Different versions of shola, also called sholleh, have also been widely consumed in Iran and the Middle East, with various other ingredients used in the preparation, making the dish either sweet or savory.