Kiribath
Local name : කිරිබත්
Sri Lankan rice cooked in coconut milk, pressed flat and cut into diamonds for new months and new babies.
Photo : AntanO · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Method
- Rinse the rice in cold water until it runs clear.
- Bring the rice, water and cinnamon to the boil, then cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
- Pour the coconut milk and salt over the tender rice without stirring roughly.
- Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the rice drinks the milk and turns sticky.
- Remove the cinnamon and tip the rice onto a tray, about 3 cm deep.
- Press it down firmly with an oiled banana leaf or a wet spatula.
- Cool for 20 minutes, then cut into diamonds with a damp knife.
Coconut milk always goes in after the water cooking. Added too early, its fat coats each grain and stops the starch swelling, so the rice never binds tightly enough to slice.
