Make Milk Rice

Milk Rice is a traditional specialty food item of Sri Lanka made on special occasions or for breakfast on the first day of every month. Some Sri Lankans believe it is a lucky food. It is simple to make and very tasty. This recipe serves three.

Ingredients

  • 500 g brown rice or white rice
  • Dash of salt
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup coconut milk (may use cow's milk instead)

Steps

Cooking the Rice

  1. Wash the rice. Pick through it to make sure there are no tiny stones or bits of debris, then run cool water over it to rinse it entirely. Place it in a medium-sized pot.
  2. Add the water and salt. Pour it over the rice, then cover the pot.
  3. Cook the rice over medium-low heat. Continue cooking the rice, covered, until it is soft and plump, and the water is completely absorbed. This should take about 15 minutes.
    • Take care not to burn the rice. If it seems to be cooking too quickly, turn down the heat.
    • You can also cook the rice in a rice cooker. When it's finished cooking, transfer it to a pot before adding the milk.

Adding the Milk

  1. Reduce the heat to low and add the milk. Pour the milk in slowly and use a spoon to stir it into the rice. Make sure the heat is reduced so that the mixture simmers; if you keep it too high, the texture won't come out right.
  2. Simmer the rice and milk for ten minutes. Check to make sure it isn't cooking too quickly; if so, reduce the heat.
    • While the rice is simmering, taste it to determine whether it needs a little more salt. Add a little at a time until it tastes right.
    • It's not traditional in Sri Lanka to add extra ingredients, but you can sweeten the dish with a little sugar or make it more savory with pepper and other spices if you'd like to customize it.
  3. Remove the pot from heat. The dish will have the consistency of creamy porridge. Let it cool for about five minutes.

Shaping the Rice

  1. Transfer the rice to a shallow dish. A wide, flat baking dish has the right shape. Use a spoon to scoop all of the rice into the dish and spread it evenly.
    • Use a nonstick dish if you have one available, since rice tends to stick to the bottom of the pan.
    • If you don't have a nonstick dish, oil the bottom of a glass or metal baking dish.
  2. Flatten the rice. Use the back of a wooden spoon to press the rice flat into the dish. You could also use a spatula or a piece of oiled waxed paper.
  3. Score the rice. Use a knife to score the rice diagonally in one direction, then score it again diagonally in the other direction. This creates the classic diamond shape that Sri Lankans use to serve milk rice.
  4. Cut the rice. After the rice has cooled a stiffened a bit, use the knife to cut it into diamond shapes. Lift the rice from the pan using a spatula and place it on a plate for serving.
    • You can make the dish taste more milky by drizzling the top with more coconut milk after scoring it.
    • Milk rice is traditionally served with curry.



Tips

  • To serve in the traditional way, spread the milk rice on a tray or a board so it is one inch thick. Level the mixture well by using a cleaned banana leaf or plastic wrap.
  • Experiment with adding honey, jaggery, or chili sambals. (Chili sambol is made with sliced onions, chilies, salt, and lime juice mixed together.)

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