Milk Rice (කිරි බත්)

  

A true Sri Lankan classic, “Kiribath” or Milk Rice as the Westerners call it, is a traditional breakfast dish as well as a celebratory treat for special occasions. In some Asian cultures including Sri Lanka, milk and rice is a significant symbol of prosperity, luck and happiness in abundance.

Milk Rice is mainly cooked during the Sinhalese New Year and various festive and auspicious occasions, while locals also have the tradition of cooking this creamy mild flavoured rice cake on the first day of every month.

Preparing Milk Rice (Kiribath) is fairly a simple procedure.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of short grain white rice.
• 3 cups of water.
• 2 cups of thick Coconut Milk.
• 2 teaspoons of Salt.
• 1 Stick Cinnamon, optional.

Method

• Wash rice thoroughly
• Add Rice and water in a pan and bring it to boil.
• Cover and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
• Add Coconut Milk, salt and the cinnamon and stir the mixture well preferably with a wooden spoon.
• Cover the pan once again and simmer on low heat for a further 10 - 15 minutes.
• Once all the Coconut milk is well absorbed and you see gooey steaming rice, remove the cinnamon stick .
• Cool slightly and turn the rice on to a flat plate/tray.
• Mark or cut diamond/square shapes and serve with a side dish of your choice, such as banana, jaggery , chillie paste, Lunumiris (traditional onion and chillie sambol) or even a spicy fish or Chicken Curry.