Yield – 6

Prep time – 20 mins Cooking time – 35 mins

As Sri Lankans, as far as we make curries out of everything, we like to mix and match dishes for our meals. It’s a practice that every Sri Lankan cook should master. We love to combine different flavors and textures to create unique foods. Imbul Kiribath is one of the traditional Sri Lankan breakfasts, that everybody is craving. This vegan-friendly, gluten-free meal is creamy on the outside and spicy or sweet on the inside depending on the stuffing you use. So, it will give you a flavor blast in each and every bite.

It’s a whole meal where Kiribath comes with stuffing. People have their own preferences for stuffing they would like in Imbul Kiribath. Some like spicy with a touch of Lunumiris, Seeni Sambol, or tempered sprats, while others would prefer sweet with a touch of Polpani. The recipe I’m bringing you today is a spicy version made with Seeni Sambol. In the traditional method, we use either a banana leaf or a Puwak Pattaya (dried Arecanut leaf) to mold the Imbul Kiribath. Since they are not available to everybody, especially the Sri Lankans living abroad, we tend to use plastic wraps for convenience.

If you are looking for a fulfilling and healthy Sri Lankan-style breakfast, this Imbul Kiribath is a must-try recipe. It’s one of our family favorites too.

What do you need:

6 cups Kiribath (milk rice)
1 1/2 cups Seeni Sambol (spicy onion relish)
2 Plastic wraps (20 cm x 25 cm) / Lunch sheet (folded into two)

Let’s make it:

Divide both milk rice and onion relish into 6 equal portions. This will help you to make equal size Imbul Kiribath.
Place the plastic wrap on a flat surface. (cutting board/pantry top)
Lay out 1 portion (1 cup) of Kiribath on it with a thickness of about 1 cm. (Surface area of the Kiribath layer is about 10 cm x 15 cm).
Take 1 portion (1/4 cup) of Seeni Sambol and place it on the bottom half of the Kiribath layer as a strip.
Roll the bottom part towards the center with the help of the plastic wrap.
Roll the top part towards the center so that it will create a capsule kinda formation.
Twist the plastic wrap, which is open from the left and right corners to seal the ends. This will create a toffee (wrapped with a cover) shape.
Shape the Imbul by using your hands, while it’s still wrapped in the plastic wrap.
Carefully remove the plastic wrap and place it on a serving plate.
Use the same procedure to make the rest of the Imbul Kiribath and serve while it’s still warm.

Tips for you:

Use freshly prepared Kiribath while it’s still hot. If you use cooled Kiribath, it’s hard to mold.
It’s not necessary to use freshly prepared Seeni Sambol. In this recipe, I have used a one-day-old, room-temperature Seen Sambol.
Feel free to use Lunumiris, Tempered sprats, or Polpani instead of Seeni Sambol for different flavor combinations. In this, I have also used Lunumiris.
To strengthen the plastic wrap, make it two layers or use a folded lunch sheet.
While rolling the Kiribath to make the capsule, make sure that Kiribath is not coming out from the open edges.
Feel free to use banana leaf or Puwak patta as in the traditional method.
Feel free to change the size of Imbul Kiribath as your choice.

Make ahead info: