Kiribath (Milk Rice)

by Kanishka Senevirathna

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Country:  Sri Lanka

Prep. time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes​

Ingredients:

  • 500g (1lb 2oz / 2 1⁄3 cups) white rice (basmati or patna)
  • 1 litre (about 35 fl oz/4 ¼ cups) water
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 400ml (14 fl oz / 1 2⁄3 cups) coconut milk
  • butter, for greasing

kiribath

Steps:

  1. Wash the rice until the water becomes clear.
  2. Add 1 litre of water to a pot, bring to a boil and cook until all the water is absorbed, about 18–20 minutes.
  3. If you like you can add cashew nuts and black raisins and 1/2 cup mixed dry fruits
  4. Then, add the salt and coconut milk and stir into the rice.
  5. Transfer the moist rice to a platter, and then smooth and flatten it until it is about 2 inches tall.
  6. Cut it into diamond shapes or squares while slightly warm so that the pieces do not break.

Tips/Tricks:

If the rice is not cooked, add extra boiling water and cook over a very low heat until soft.

Why this recipe? 

Kiribath is a traditional Sri Lankan dish made from rice and coconut milk, hence this name, and can be considered a form of milk rice or rice pudding. It is very frequently served for breakfast. Kiribath is an essential dish in Sri Lankan cuisine. Kiribath has a very important role for the Sinhalese in celebrating the Sinhalese New Year when it will be consumed as the first meal of the year.

Kanishka Senevirathna
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