This simple combination of rice and coconut milk is a staple dish throughout Sri Lanka. The rice is cooked in milk, and the mix is then left to set in a shallow plate. The dish is traditionally cut into square or diamond shapes, and the pieces are usually topped with spicy lunumiris chili paste, or they can be served along jaggery and bananas.

Kiribath represents prosperity and good luck, and it is an integral part of Sinhalese culture, traditionally served to commemorate new beginnings. It is always enjoyed on Sinhalese New Year, and it is traditionally given to children as their first solid food.