Kottu Roti

Kottu Roti

Sri Lanka's beloved late-night street food: shredded godamba roti chopped and tossed on a flat griddle with egg, vegetables, meat, and spicy curry sauce. Traditional cooks make it on a hot iron griddle with two metal blades, creating the iconic rhythmic clang.

Prep

25 min

Cook

20 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1.1 lb) godamba roti (paratha), pre-cooked, about 6 rounds; substitute with flaky paratha if godamba unavailable
• •300 g (10½ oz) cooked chicken or beef, thinly sliced, leftover meat is ideal
• •4 whole large eggs
• •1 whole large onion, thinly sliced
• •2 cloves garlic, minced
• •1 tbsp ginger, grated
• •2 whole green chillies, sliced, adjust to taste; Sri Lankan variety preferred
• •1 whole red bell pepper, julienned
• •1 whole carrot, julienned
• •1 cup shredded cabbage, about 90 g
• •1 whole tomato, diced
• •120 ml (½ cup) thick curry gravy or chicken stock, leftover Sri Lankan chicken curry sauce ideal
• •60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil
• •1 tsp turmeric
• •1 tsp roasted curry powder, Sri Lankan if available
• •1 tsp salt, or to taste
• •0.5 tsp (½ tsp) black pepper
• •2 stalks green onions, chopped
• •30 g (¼ cup) fresh coriander, chopped
• •0.5 whole (½) lime, juiced

Steps

1. 1 Stack 3-4 godamba rotis together and use a sharp knife or cleaver to cut into thin strips about 1 cm (½ inch) wide. Set aside; keep covered so they don't dry out.
2. 2 Heat half the oil on a large flat griddle or wide heavy skillet over high heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and chillies; stir-fry until fragrant and golden, about 2 minutes.
3. 3 Add the sliced meat, turmeric, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Stir-fry until meat is heated through and coated in spices, about 3-4 minutes (cook fresh chicken until internal temperature reaches 74°C / 165°F).
4. 4 Push the meat mixture to one side. Add remaining oil, then pour beaten eggs onto the empty space. Scramble quickly until just set, then mix into the meat.
5. 5 Add bell pepper, carrot, and cabbage. Toss for 2 minutes until vegetables are just wilted but still crisp.
6. 6 Add the shredded roti strips and toss everything together for 2-3 minutes, pressing the roti against the hot griddle to crisp the edges. (Traditional kottu makers chop everything together with two metal blades, creating the signature chop-chop sound and texture.)
7. 7 Pour the curry gravy over the mixture and continue tossing until the roti absorbs the sauce and everything is evenly distributed, about 2 minutes more.
8. 8 Add diced tomato, green onions, and most of the coriander. Toss once more until tomato just softens, about 30 seconds.
9. 9 Finish with lime juice and remaining coriander. Serve immediately on plates or in paper parcels, with extra chilli paste or lime wedges on the side.