Kiribath ( si, කිරිබත්) is a traditional Sri Lankan dish made from

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

. It is prepared by cooking rice with coconut milk, hence this name, and can be considered a form of

rice cake A rice cake may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a single object. A wide variety of rice cakes exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten and are particularly preval ...

rice pudding Rice pudding is a dish made from rice mixed with water or milk and other ingredients such as cinnamon, vanilla and raisins. Variants are used for either desserts or dinners. When used as a dessert, it is commonly combined with a sweetener such ...

. Kiribath is an essential dish in

Sri Lankan cuisine Sri Lankan cuisine is known for its particular combinations of herbs, spices, fish, vegetables, rices, and fruits. The cuisine is highly centered around many varieties of rice, as well as coconut which is a ubiquitous plant throughout the count ...

. It is very commonly served for breakfast on the first day of each month and also has added significance of being eaten for any auspicious moment throughout one's lifetime which are marking times of transition. It is one of the more renowned traditional dishes in Sri Lanka.

Etymology

The word is a

compound Compound may refer to: Architecture and built environments * Compound (enclosure), a cluster of buildings having a shared purpose, usually inside a fence or wall ** Compound (fortification), a version of the above fortified with defensive struc ...

with a transparent meaning in the

Sinhala language Sinhala ( ; , ''siṁhala'', ), sometimes called Sinhalese (), is an Indo-Aryan language primarily spoken by the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka, who make up the largest ethnic group on the island, numbering about 16 million. Sinhala is also s ...

, where ''Kiri'' (කිරි) means "milk" and ''bath'' ( බත්) means "rice".

History

The origins of kiribath are not clear, although the dish seems to be unique to Sri Lanka. It is said that Sujata offered kiribath to

Gautama Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...

whilst he was meditating under the bodhi tree, just before attaining enlightenment.

Occasions

In a Sinhalese home, and during Sinhalese holidays and ceremonies kiribath plays a significant role. The dish celebrates festive or auspicious occasions and symbolises the beginning of new pursuits or transitions in life. Traditionally it is also eaten by families on the first day of each month.

New Year

Kiribath has a very important role for the Sinhalese in celebrating the

Sinhalese New Year Sinhalese New Year, generally known as Aluth Avurudda ( si, අලුත් අවුරුද්ද) in Sri Lanka, is a Sri Lankan holiday that celebrates the traditional New Year of the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka. It is a major anniversary ce ...

where it will be consumed as the first meal of the year. At the dawn of the new year, a hearth within the household is lit by the lady of the house and the traditional pot of kiribath is boiled. Sometimes rice that has been kept especially for this occasion will be used, as this occasion requires the best rice, which is expressed in terms of taste. When the cooking is finished, after a series of observances and rituals the family begins to eat, but not before making an offering to the Buddha and gods first. The family will eat from the same rice, as if they are symbolically dining together with the Buddha and the deities. During the

, or on any other special occasion, kiribath will be served as the main dish and centrepiece of the meal. At the table, kiribath is served alongside traditional sweets like Kevum, Kokis,

bananas A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...

and many other delicacies. After this, the oil lamp is lit and the first meal of the year commences. The kiribath symbolises life and so it is fed to the rest of the family by the head of the family, either the father or the mother, to their progenitors for the New Year.

Feeding ceremony

Kiribath is traditionally the first solid food fed to an infant.

Weddings

Kiribath is fed by bridegrooms to brides at their wedding.

Ingredients and preparation

;Ingredients Kiribath is typically prepared from four basic components: white short-grain rice, thick coconut milk or basic milk, water and salt to taste. Choosing the right variety of rice is critical in cooking the dish well. Long-grain rice or medium-grain rice are not the best choices for making this dish. Traditionally, it is prepared with a rice variety known as rathu haal or rathu kakulu haal for its neutral flavour and good cooking qualities. Any starchy and sticky rice variety works best. For the rice to set properly, the texture of the cooked rice is very important. Due to some difficult to source the Sri Lankan rice variety in the southern parts of Sri Lanka, the locals might use the red rice. ;Preparation The recipe for kiribath is fairly simple. The rice is cooked in boiling water for about fifteen minutes, the coconut milk is added and cooked again until the liquid is absorbed. Salt is also added when cooking. However, there are some variations to this where different

ingredients An ingredient is a substance that forms part of a mixture (in a general sense). For example, in cooking, recipes specify which ingredients are used to prepare a specific dish. Many commercial products contain secret ingredients that are purport ...

are added, such as

sesame seeds Sesame ( or ; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a flowering plant in the genus '' Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cu ...

or cashew. The common method of serving Kiribath is once it has cooled and set on a plate, it is compressed and cut into diamond or square shaped blocks. Historically kiribath had been cooked in earthen clay pots in firewood hearths; this cooking method would impart a unique flavour to the dish. ;Consumption Kiribath is usually served with lunumiris, a relish made of

red onions Red onions (also known as purple or blue onions in some mainland European countries, though not the UK) are cultivars of the onion ('' Allium cepa''), and have purplish-red skin and white flesh tinged with red. They are most commonly used in c ...

, mixed with chili flakes,

Maldive fish Maldives fish ( dv, ވަޅޯމަސް, translit=valhoamas) is cured tuna fish traditionally produced in Maldives. It is a staple of the Maldivian cuisine, Sri Lankan cuisine, as well as the cuisine of the Southern Indian states and territories of L ...

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...

, and

lime Lime commonly refers to: * Lime (fruit), a green citrus fruit * Lime (material), inorganic materials containing calcium, usually calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide * Lime (color), a color between yellow and green Lime may also refer to: Botany ...

. It can also be consumed with seeni sambol, jaggery and

. Although served onto the plate with a spoon, kiribath is traditionally eaten by hand as it is the best way to mix with the lunumiris.

Variations

There are variations of kiribath including:

Mung kiribath

Mung kiribath ( si, මුං කිරිබත්) is a variation of Kiribath is made by adding boiled green gram to the milk rice. The same recipe and procedure can be followed to make this variation. It is often prepared in Buddhist temples.

Imbul kiribath

Imbul kiribath ( si, ඉඹුල් කිරිබත්) is a sweet variation of the original. It is made by taking a small amount of milk rice, made in the regular process, and spreading it on a banana leaf. A sweet filling made of coconut and jaggery, called Pani pol, is placed in the center. The banana leaf is folded and rolled vertically and pressed firm giving it its unusual cylindrical shape.

References

External links

Youtube: Kiribath & Lunu Miris - UYAMU - YAMU TV
{{Rice dishes Sri Lankan rice dishes Rice dishes Foods containing coconut Sinhalese New Year foods Ceremonial food and drink