Mun ata Kiribath with Lunu Miris

Now do not get afraid of the name.Kiribath is a simple SriLankan dish made from rice and milk/coconut milk.We can say it is Lankan cousin of dear SouthIndian Pongal.Like Pongal,it is a celebratory dish and is served during New Year or any happy occasion.But comparing the two,this cousin is slightly bland .So to make up for this it is served with Lunu Miris or Chili sambal or in plain language spicy chutney or simply with jaggery.

There are several ways of serving kiribath and different version based on shapes as well.Normally any shape will do,but these days the staple form of serving is cutting into diamond patterns.Else there is Imbul kiribath,which is stuffed kiribath or kiribath rolled into the shape of imbul (jamun)fruit stuffed with coconut and jaggery.Mun ata kiribath is made using green gram dal along with rice.Both the recipes are adapted from here.

Mun ata Kiribath

Ingredients:
Short grain white rice : 3/4 cup
Green gram dal(moong dal): 1/4 cup
Milk/Thick Coconut milk: 1/2 cup +/-
Water: as needed
Salt: a pinch


Preparation:

In a big vessel cook together the rice and dal adding water till almost (3/4th) done.Then add milk/coconut milk to which salt has been added and cook for a few more minutes till done and the mix thickens.Remove from fire and spread into a greased flat plate and smooth the top with a spoon.Cool for a few minutes and then cut into desired shapes and garnish with cashews or sesame seeds or as per choice.Serve with Lunu miris or simply jaggery for a sweet version.

Lunu Miris

This is similar to chutney and usually contains Maldives fish flakes which is used as a flavouring and also for protein.But the vegetarian version makes use of simple lemon juice to add flavour/taste.Maldive fish flakes are SriLankan equivalent to Thai Fish sauce.

Ingredients:

Red onions/ shallots:chopped 1/4 cup
Red chilly flakes/chilli powder:1 -2 tsp
Salt: as per taste
Lime juice: 1 small lemon or as per taste

Preparation:
Blend together all the ingredients and serve as a dip or side with kiribath.

The combo is different yet similar.I was wondering how the kiribath will turn out .But the combo was okay or more than expected.Since we are used to the pongal ,a slightly blander version will definitely require a dip and lunu miris perfects the dish.A warm plate of mun ata kiribath is on way to AWED:Srilanka currently hosted by Siri an event by DK of Chef In You .

Buckwheat Orange Pancakes for 'Boise

Five Quarters of Orange is the last of the Food Trilogy by Joanna Harris -the others being Chocolat and Blackberry Wine.The book takes you to a small village in wartime France and tells you about young Framboise Dartigen, her life under strict unemotional mother,how her life changes when here farmhouse is burned down by suspicious villagers who make her family flee from there.After decades of uneventful life Framboise returns to her home under a new name so as to avoid connection to Dartigen family,reconstructs here life there by opening a creperie using the recipes here mother recorded in a dairy mingled with day to day happenings.Through this she tries to understand her mother and finds that she has turned into a mini version of Mirabelle Dartigen,her mother.

The book is full of food references,partial recipes and most of all buckwheat pancakes her mother made for dinner.I had buckwwheat flour and decided to make the same for 'Boise adding oranges to it - a fruit forbidden in the Dartigen household as her mother is allergic to it ,but is used frequently by 'Boise to torment her mother.A simple yet hifibre breakfast or dinner as per book.The recipe is adapted from here

Buckwheat Orange Pancakes
Buckwheat is also kown as 'Kuttu atta ' in India.It has no gluten and has high fibre content and is protein rich.It has a nutty flavour and is commonly used in pancakes and waffles and also soba noodles.

Ingredients:
Dry Mix
Buckwheat Flour: 3/4 cup
All Purpose Flour: 1 cup
Baking Powder: 1 tbsp
Orange Zest: 1 tbsp +
Salt: 1/4 tsp

Wet Mix:
Milk: 1 and 1/4 cup
Orange Juice: 2/3 cup
Vegetable Oil: 1 tbsp

Preparation:

In a big bowl,whisk the dry items together.In a small bowl,mix the wet items.If you are okay with eggs reduce the milk to 1 cup and add 1 egg.I used milk as a substitute to egg.Also adjust the juice as per taste and sweetness.Add the wet mix to the dry mix and stir to form a batter of pouring consistency.Make sure you 'stir' as over mixing make toughen the pancakes.Make sure some lumps remain in the batter.

Ladle batter on a hot pan/tawa/skillet coated with oil spray and cook till bubbles appear and the sides start cooking.Using a turner turn the pancakes and cook for 1-2 minutes.Serve hot with orange syrup.

Orange Syrup
Ingredients:
Orange Juice: 1/2 cup
Cinnamon Stick: 1 inch piece
Maple Syrup: 1/4 cup

Preparation:
Combine orange juice and cinnamon stick and bring to boil.Reduce heat and let it simmer till reduced to half.Allow to cool.Remove the cinnamon stick and mix in the maple syrup.

Lets see what other bookclub members made for 'Framboise.Simran ,it seems missed cooking for 'Boise but do read her review post.