Sri Lankan Kiribath (Milk Rice)

About This Recipe

Kiribath (milk rice) is Sri Lanka's most ceremonially significant food — a thick, rich coconut milk rice cake eaten at every important occasion: Sinhala and Tamil New Year (April 14), first days of the month, weddings, and the birth of children. It's cut into diamond shapes, served with lunu miris (onion-chili relish) or jaggery, and eating it first thing on an auspicious day is said to bring good fortune.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 cupsshort-grain white rice
• 3 cupswater
• 400 mlthick coconut milk
• 1 tspsalt
• 2 smallred onions, finely chopped (for lunu miris)
• 3 piecesgreen chilies, finely chopped
• 2 tbspred chili flakes
• 2 tbsplime juice
• 1/2 tspMaldive fish or dried shrimp (optional, for lunu miris)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the rice

   Wash rice until water runs clear. Cook with water and salt on medium heat until water is absorbed and rice is soft, about 18 minutes.

2. 2

   Add coconut milk

   Add coconut milk to the cooked rice. Stir well. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until the coconut milk is completely absorbed and the rice is very thick and sticky, about 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Set and shape

   Spread the thick coconut rice onto a flat plate or tray to about 2cm thickness. Smooth the top. Let cool slightly.

4. 4

   Cut into diamonds

   Cut into diamond shapes with a wet knife while still warm.

5. 5

   Make lunu miris and serve

   Mix onions, green chilies, chili flakes, lime juice, salt, and Maldive fish for the relish. Serve kiribath with lunu miris or jaggery.

Variations

• •

  Serve with seeni sambol (sweet caramelized onion relish) instead of lunu miris

• •

  Add a pinch of cardamom to the coconut milk

• •

  Make a sweet version topped with kithul jaggery

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Best at room temperature; reheat briefly if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions