Comments on Sri Lanka Cooking | Sri Lankan Food Recipes With How To Cook Videos: Kaha Bath (Yellow Rice)

is samba okay instead of basmati?

2011-07-07T16:57:24.076+03:00

is samba okay instead of basmati?

@Last Anonymous commenter (Jill): Unfortunately th...

2011-02-04T22:47:01.633+02:00

@Last Anonymous commenter (Jill):
Unfortunately the vast majority of "cinnammon" sold in the U.S., Europe and even most Asian countries other than Sri Lanka) is not the real deal. Cinnamon is only grown in Sri Lanka and is relatively rare and thus more expensive. A cheaper alternative that looks similar, but is botanically entirely different and tastes different is often sold as cinnamon.

Possibly why your husband didn't like the "cinnamon?" I once unknowingly bought this impostor "cinnamon" from Whole Foods (since it was from Whole Foods, it was very expensive too, even though it was the cheap impostor variety) and it made my curry taste all weird and nasty. The true Sri Lanka cinnamon (Ceylon cinnamon) is very pleasant and has a mild but complex flavor. Your husband would have grown up eating cinnamon flavored food (it is used often in both savory and sweet Lankan food), so it's hard to imagine him not liking cinnamon.

To recognize the two:

Cinnamon is more delicate than the impostor, and a cross-section view will show several layers on top of each other.

The impostor "cinnamon" is tougher and a cross-section view will show a single layer.

@zamir_2317: Bath mula (bath packet or bath parcel...

2011-02-04T22:19:14.322+02:00

@zamir_2317:
Bath mula (bath packet or bath parcel in Singlish :) is comprised of any combination of rice and curry wrapped in a banana leaf, or these days, even in a thin plastic sheet (bath kola) or foil.

(The plastic sheets wreak havoc on the environment, millions upon millions of them that will not break down for a hundred years or more, just lying there in landfills, not to mention the poor birds and animals that ingest them, then long suffering and dying a protracted and painful death, so please find an alternative.)

There is no particular recipe for bath mul (mula=singular form and mul=plural form.) That is how lunch was wrapped and transported to workplaces, or even on long trips, or to eat later on any journey. The contents were whatever was cooked that day.

Sounds like what you associate that taste with is the particular combination/s of curries and rice that you ate and remember from 20 years ago. So if you make those curries (whatever you remember) and rice and wrap it up preferably in a banana leaf, or in foil while still warm, leave it for a couple of hours and then eat, you've just made the same bath mula you remember eating! Of course banana leaf adds it's own mild flavor and smell to the bath mula, so that is preferable. Remember to hold the banana leaf over the flame (gas flame is fine) for a few seconds, on both sides, to make it malleable, otherwise it will split while you are trying to wrap the mula.

In the U.S. frozen banana leaves can be bought at supermarkets, certainly at international supermarkets, but even in mainstream supermarkets in the Hispanic secion: I just bought several packs (even came in two different brands!) from Shoppers Food Warehouse.

Hope you get to recapture the taste and smell of bath mula you remember eating! If it falls short, do remember that we often build up the taste of things we ate in our minds. The more we think about it and hanker for it, the more we build it up in our mind, and often, when you eat it again, specially after a long absence, it is a let down because of this trick the mind plays. So be kind to your cooking and your effort, and consider that it may not be your cooking skill that is at fault. Happy eating!

thank you so much fo this recipes. My husband from...

2011-01-02T04:04:41.712+02:00

thank you so much fo this recipes. My husband from Sri Lanka and I was looking for this recipe. Next time I wont add th cinnamon though he does not like it. Thank you again wishing you triple gem Jill

I'm gonna take back what I said, I Know she is...

2010-12-08T07:43:38.733+02:00

I'm gonna take back what I said, I Know she is trying to do her best.

OMG she really to speed up when talking, I really ...

2010-12-07T23:25:38.682+02:00

OMG she really to speed up when talking, I really don't have the patience.

He he,,,,, seems to be a nice blog....

2010-01-02T18:36:16.144+02:00

He he,,,,, seems to be a nice blog....

can u make bath parcel ( rice Pack) please ? its b...

2009-11-10T11:07:34.373+02:00

can u make bath parcel ( rice Pack) please ?
its been 20 years since i ate bath parcel...
i dont know what curries do i add to make this....

thanks

:Brett: Did you make this & if it so how is it...

2009-06-12T11:12:24.449+03:00

:Brett:
Did you make this & if it so how is it???

:????:
Sorry about the mistake, I have corrected it. every rice is different, so add water according to the rice you are using.
Did you try the recipe???

The ingredients says 4 cups of water... in the ste...

2009-06-11T15:42:35.864+03:00

The ingredients says 4 cups of water... in the steps, you only use 1.5. I assume 1.5 only?

I am going to make this to serve with fish curry.....

2009-06-09T20:46:28.005+03:00

I am going to make this to serve with fish curry... keep the recipes coming. Thanks!