What Is Kottu Roti? Sri Lanka’s Loudest Street Food, Explained
If you have heard rapid metallic clanging from a Sri Lankan kitchen, that was kottu being made. Here is what it actually is and how to order it.
Walk past a Sri Lankan kitchen at dinner time and you will hear it before you see it: a fast, rhythmic metal-on-metal clanging. That is kottu roti being made, and it is probably the best introduction to Sri Lankan food there is.
What kottu actually is
It starts with godamba roti, a soft, stretchy flatbread. That roti gets chopped up on a hot flat-top griddle using two heavy metal blades. In goes egg, onion, leeks, carrot, your choice of chicken, beef or cheese, and a punchy blend of spices and curry sauce. The cook keeps chopping and tossing until it becomes one savoury, chewy, deeply flavoured pile.
The chopping is not showmanship, it is the technique. It shreds the roti to the right size and works the sauce through every piece. Each kitchen has its own rhythm, which is why regulars recognise their spot by sound.
What it tastes like
Think of it as the Sri Lankan cousin of fried rice, but chewier, spicier and more aromatic. Savoury, a little smoky from the griddle, with heat that builds rather than hits. If you like a good stir-fry, kottu will make immediate sense to you.
How to order it
Chicken kottu is the standard entry point. Cheese kottu is the crowd-pleaser, richer and milder. Beef kottu is the deepest in flavour. If you are new to Sri Lankan heat, ask for it mild. Nobody will think less of you.
Where it comes from
It is street food in the truest sense, born out of using up leftover roti and whatever was in the kitchen. That origin is why it is so good. It was never designed to be fancy, only to be satisfying.
Where to try it in Scarborough
We are a family-run halal Sri Lankan and Indian kitchen in Scarborough and we make kottu to order on the griddle. Read our guide to authentic Sri Lankan kottu roti, or if you want it for a crowd, see our catering menu.
Kottu on our menu
Our Kottu Roti is $13 and comes with an egg omelette. If you are ordering kottu for the first time, that is the plate to start with. Pair it with something saucy on the side, such as Chicken Devil ($12.99) or a curry, because kottu is drier than a rice and curry plate and many people like something to spoon over it.
Kottu is a now dish
Kottu is at its best in the first 15 to 20 minutes. The roti pieces are chewy and slightly crisp at the edges straight off the griddle; as it sits in a closed container, steam softens everything. That has practical consequences:
- Takeout: eat it first, before the biryani.
- Delivery: from our kitchen at 328 Passmore Avenue it holds up well across most of Scarborough (10 to 20 minutes) and Markham (about 15).
- Big events: it is not ideal for a long buffet. For a crowd, a rice combo holds better in a chafing dish.
Reheating leftover kottu
Skip the microwave if you can. Heat a frying pan with a little oil, add the kottu, and press and toss it for a few minutes until the edges catch again. It comes back far better than you would expect. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them the next day.
What is in it, for allergies
Kottu is made from wheat-flour roti and contains egg, and ours comes with an egg omelette. It is not suitable for anyone avoiding wheat or eggs. Ask us about the rest of the ingredients before ordering if allergies are a concern.
Kottu or noodles?
If you like the stir-fried idea but want something lighter, our Sri Lankan Noodles ($15) are stir-fried with carrot, cabbage, green beans, curry leaves and crushed chilli, and come with kurma gravy, Sri Lankan style fried chicken and a boiled egg.
Kottu questions
Is kottu spicy?
Medium, usually. It is savoury first. The heat comes from the spice blend and curry sauce rather than raw chilli.
How do I order it?
On our direct ordering page, on Uber Eats, or by phone at (647) 449-2924. For more, see kottu roti delivery in Scarborough.