Special food take pride of place during Avurudu. Here are some favourite dishes >with easy-to-make recipes

[Kiribath]

Kiribath is a traditional Sri Lankan dish made from rice. The meaning in the Sinhala Language where 'Kiri' means milk and 'Bath' means rice. This is prepared by cooking rice with coconut milk. In Tamil its called “Paachor”.The origin of the dish is unknown but has become a traditional dish in all house holds be it rich or poor.This dish is recognised as a dish for auspicious moments and served mainly during breakfast. It is an important dish during the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year. This is the main dish served soon after the dawn of the New Year.

Ingredients

600 g Brown rice or white rice
4 cup of water
a dash of salt
1.5 cup Coconut milk

Method

* First wash the rice and place in a medium size pot.
* Then add water and salt.

* Cook the rice over medium low heat for about half way through the cooking time, then when you notice half of the water evaporated,add the coconut milk.

* Continue the cooking for another 10 minutes.
* Remove the pot from the heat, and lay in a flat plate. The dish will have the consistency of porridge.Traditionally its layered on a banana leaf and flatten.

* A few points to bring to your notice is:Red rice and White rice can be used to prepare this dish.When you cook the rice in a pot and when you notice the rice almost cook reduce the heat and cover the pot for the rest of the cooking. Make sure that the rice does not stick in the pot otherwise it will give a burnt taste, which is not very pleasant. And importantly you need to used the first milk of the coconut to have the milky taste in the dish. Best you extract the first milk using some warm water.

[Kokis]

Ingredients

500 g rice flour
100 g weat flour
egg
1 cup coconut milk
salt and pepper
chopped curry leaves
Oil

Method

Mixed all ingredients together and make a think sauce,if it is too thick add a little bit more coconut milk and get the correct consistency.

* Take the kokis mould,cover the paste in to 3/4,deep fry the mould.
* Reduce the fire and remove the paste from the mould carefully. You will get a well fried kokis

[Milk Toffee]

Milk Toffee is a famous sweet in Sri Lanka and must be taken off the fire at the correct moment when the consistency is just right to harden.

Ingredients

500 g condensed milk
500 g sugar
1 tsp butter
1 tsp Vanilla
A few cardomoms
Peanuts or Cashewnuts

Method

* Take a pan and add the condensed milk into it.
* Add the sugar and mix well and keep on the stove.
* Keep on stove and stir the condensed milk and sugar together for sometime.Add cardamon and peanuts or cashew nuts.
* Allow the mixture to thicken. Reduce the flame and cook till you get the correct consistency.
* Pour the thickened mixture onto a tray of 5 cm layer and cut in to pieces before it gets cool.

[Kavum]

Ingredients

200 g wheat flour
200 g white rice flour
1/2 cup treaclel
Oil to deep fry
Cardomom
Salt

Method

* Mix the wheat flour and rice flour together add a bit of salt and the cardamon.
* Add the treaclel in to the mixture slowly and mix until you get the correct consistency.
* The mixture should be thick and of dropping consistency.
* Heat the oil, add the oil cake mould and add some of the mixture in to it.
* Cook the oil cake for a few minutes till it gets golden brown.