Kottu Roti

Sri Lanka | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 20 min | Total: 40 min | Serves: 4

About Kottu Roti

Kottu Roti is Sri Lanka's most beloved street food, and you can hear it before you see it. The rhythmic, metallic clatter of two steel blades chopping and folding roti strips on a screaming hot iron griddle is the unmistakable soundtrack of the Sri Lankan night. Shredded godamba roti — a thin, layered flatbread — is stir-fried with egg, vegetables, curry sauce, and your choice of protein until everything melds into a hot, slightly crisped tangle.

Ingredients

• 4 portions cooked roti or 6 frozen layered parathas, thawed and shredded into 1 cm strips

• 3 tbsp neutral oil

• 1 onion thinly sliced, 1 small leek thinly sliced, 2 carrots julienned

• 2 green chilies thinly sliced, 3 cloves garlic minced, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

• 2 tsp Sri Lankan curry powder, 1 tsp turmeric

• 3 eggs, beaten

• 200g cooked chicken, thinly shredded

• 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp chili sauce

• Fresh curry leaves (if available), spring onions to garnish

Directions

1. Prepare the Paratha/Roti: Cook frozen layered parathas per package directions. Cool, stack, and shred into roughly 1 cm wide strips.

2. Heat the Griddle: Heat a large, heavy flat pan or cast-iron skillet over very high heat until nearly smoking. Add 2 tbsp oil.

3. Fry the Aromatics: Add onion, leek, garlic, ginger, and curry leaves. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add green chili.

4. Add Vegetables: Add carrot and stir-fry 2 minutes. Push everything to the sides.

5. Scramble the Egg: Add remaining oil to the centre and pour in beaten eggs. Let set slightly, then chop and fold into the vegetables.

6. Add Roti and Protein: Add shredded roti strips and cooked chicken. Toss and chop everything together using two flat spatulas in a chopping motion.

7. Season: Add soy sauce, chili sauce, curry powder, and turmeric. Continue chopping and folding for 3–4 minutes until everything is unified and slightly crisped.

8. Serve: Plate immediately. Garnish with spring onions. Serve with coconut sambol and extra curry sauce.

Cooking Tips

• High Heat Is Everything: Kottu needs very high heat for the characteristic slight char. A cast-iron skillet on maximum heat is the best approximation of the street griddle.

• The Chopping Motion: Use two metal spatulas to replicate the dual-blade chopping technique — this is how the roti shreds further and the mixture integrates.

• Ready-Made Paratha: Frozen layered parathas from South Asian grocery stores are an excellent substitute. They shred perfectly once cooked and cooled.

Nutrition Facts (per serving, based on 4 servings)

• Calories: ~520 kcal

• Total Fat: 18g

• Saturated Fat: 4g

• Cholesterol: 180mg

• Sodium: 940mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 62g

• Dietary Fiber: 4g

• Sugars: 5g

• Protein: 28g