In Sri lankan homes all celebratory occasions begin with Milk rice. It’s the traditional sri lankan dish made of rice.In Sinhalese “Kiri'' means Milk and bath means “rice”. From ancient days till now,Milk rice is offered to Lord Buddha in reverence. This traditional dish is prepared to symbolize abundance of prosperity, Joy and good health.

Kiri bath is the first solid food a newborn baby eats during the transition. Kiri bath is the first meal which we prepare in Sinhala, Tamil new year. Newlyweds have milk rice as their first meal. Not just that, it's a frequently made dish in Sri Lankan homes. It is an easy traditional breakfast which anybody can make easily.

When you visit Sri Lanka, I’m sure you will get the chance to taste Kiri bath at least once in your trip. This traditional dish is available mainly for breakfast in any hotel you plan your stay. And It is not very expensive. It is a must try if you visit Sri Lanka.

You must have noticed,In most Sri lankan traditional dishes Coconut is the main ingredient. My grandma makes Kiri bath in earthen clay pots in a firewood hearth. This is how kiri bath were
You can prepare this dish with just two main ingredients, Coconut milk and Rice.
made in the old days. It gives a unique taste to kiri bath and that is how I like to eat Kiri bath.

Let’s see how this traditional dish is made….

When preparing the Kiri bath, choosing the right rice is very important. We need to choose medium grain rice to get the perfect creamy texture of Kiri bath. Usually most Sri Lankans use Rathu Kakulu which is red raw rice. But today I’m going to make Kiri bath with White rice, I took Kiri samba.

Ingredients

Kiri Samba - 250g

Thick Coconut Milk - 2 cups

Salt to taste

Pandan leaves (Optional)

How to make..

Step 1: Wash rice thoroughly and cook the rice in medium flame. Remember to add adequate amount of water for the rice to cook. The amount of water that you need to add depends on the type of the rice you use. Cook the rice until Soft and mushy.

Step 2: Until rice is cooked make sure your thick coconut milk is ready. Add Slat as per your taste before mixing it with the rice.

Step 3: After 15 mins, Check if the rice is cooked properly. At this point keep the flame lower.

Step 4: Pour thick Coconut milk

Step 5: Mix well after adding Coconut milk. At this point you can check salt and adjust as per your taste. Also remember to cook at low flame.

Step 6: While mixing, you will understand the texture of the mixture gets thick and the coconut milk is well absorbed to the rice.

Step 7: Transfer the Kiri bath to serving dish

Step 8: With the help of a banana leaf even out the Kiri bath to a nice round shape. You can also use spatula to flatten the Kiri bath.

Your milk rice almost ready.. This is how it looks after taking the shape.

You can garnish it as you want and cut it into diamond shape before serving.

Usually traditional Sri Lankan milk rice is served with Lunumiris (It is a sambol prepared with red chilies, Onions and Maldive fish). Today we prepared a Sri Lankan dried sprat fried with tomatoes and onions.

Ready to serve...! Hope you enjoyed....