Kottu (literally "chopped") is Sri Lanka's most famous street food — flatbread and fillings rhythmically minced together with two blunt metal blades on a hot flat-top. That machine-gun clatter is the sound of dinner across the island every evening. At home you don't need the theatre: a large frying pan or wok, a sturdy spatula (or two), and a sharp knife to shred the roti will get you there.
The secret to good kottu isn't any single ingredient — it's heat and a proper curry base. You want leftover chicken curry or a quick spiced chicken, cooked-down aromatics, and everything chopped small so each bite carries roti, egg, vegetable and spice at once. Use godamba roti or paratha if you can find them; flour tortillas or any leftover flatbread work in a pinch.
Ingredients
- 4 godamba roti or parathas (or 4 large flour tortillas), cut into thin ribbons
- 300g cooked chicken, shredded (leftover chicken curry is ideal)
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 leek, finely sliced
- 1 carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 2 green chillies, sliced
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 tbsp Sri Lankan roasted curry powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken curry gravy or 1/4 cup water
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Prep everything before you start — kottu moves fast. Slice the roti into thin ribbons and keep them separate. Have all vegetables chopped and within reach.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in your largest pan over high heat. Add the onion, leek, curry leaves and green chillies and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until softened and just catching colour.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste, carrot and cabbage. Stir-fry another 3 minutes, keeping the heat high so the vegetables stay crisp.
- Push everything to one side, add the remaining oil to the clear space, and pour in the beaten eggs. Let them set for a few seconds, then scramble and fold through the vegetables.
- Add the shredded chicken, curry powder, turmeric, pepper and soy sauce. Toss well for 2 minutes.
- Add the roti ribbons and the curry gravy. Now chop and toss: use the edge of your spatula (or a knife and spatula together) to cut through the roti as you mix, so it breaks into smaller pieces and soaks up the gravy. Keep going for 3–4 minutes until everything is hot and well combined.
- Taste, adjust salt and pepper, and serve immediately while it's steaming — kottu waits for no one.
Cook's notes
- Leftover chicken curry is the shortcut that makes it taste like a Sri Lankan shop — use it for both the meat and the gravy.
- Keep the heat high throughout; kottu should be seared and a little smoky, not stewed.
- Chop the roti more, not less — small pieces carry the flavour better than long strands.