About this Dish
Sri Lanka's most beloved street food — shredded roti bread chopped rhythmically on a flat iron griddle with vegetables, egg, meat and spices. The sound of the metal blades chopping is the unmistakable soundtrack of Sri Lankan evenings. Kottu is improvised fast food — whatever is available goes in. Cheese kottu is the most popular modern variation.
IngredientsServes 2
🫓Godamba roti or plain paratha, 4 large pieces (day-old works best)
🥚Eggs, 3 beaten
🧅Red onion, 1 large thinly sliced
🌿Leeks, 1 stalk finely sliced
🌶️Green chillies, 2 finely chopped
🍗Cooked chicken or beef, 200g shredded (leftover curry meat is perfect)
🧄Garlic, 3 cloves minced
🫙Sri Lankan curry powder, 1.5 tsp
🧂Soy sauce, 1 tbsp
🧀Processed cheese slices, 2 (optional, for cheese kottu)
Method
1
Stack your rotis and slice them into thin strips, then cut across into rough small pieces about 1cm wide — you want shaggy irregular shreds, not neat cubes. Set aside.2
Heat a large flat pan, tawa or wok over high heat until smoking hot. Add 2 tbsp of oil and fry the onion, leeks, garlic and green chillies together for 2–3 minutes until softened and beginning to caramelise at the edges.3
Push the vegetables to the side, pour in the beaten eggs and scramble them briefly, then immediately mix everything together before the egg fully sets.4
Add the shredded meat and curry powder, tossing everything together for 1–2 minutes until the meat is heated through and coated in the spices. Splash in the soy sauce and mix well.5
Add all the shredded roti to the pan and use two spatulas or metal turners to chop and fold everything together rapidly — press, chop and toss rhythmically, this is the kottu technique. Keep the heat high so the roti gets slightly crispy in patches.6
If making cheese kottu, tear the cheese slices over the top in the final 30 seconds and fold through until melted and stretchy. Taste and adjust salt, then serve immediately in a bowl with a side of extra curry gravy or seeni sambol if you have it.User Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first!
Sign in to leave a review
Members can create lists, save favourites and get recommendations.
Find the Best Kottu Roti Near Me
AI-powered — Google, TripAdvisor and food blogs
🔥 Viral Recipes
How the world's most famous chefs — and creators — make this dish
Authentic World Food
610.9K views
🌍 Food Vlogs
Food vloggers eating and cooking it at the source
🌍
No videos yet
What To Eat
The World's Food Guide
© 2025 What To Eat · hello@whattoeat.world