Kottu Roti Fusion: Creative Twists on a Classic Dish

Kottu, also known as Kottu Roti, is a popular Sri Lankan street food dish made with shredded roti or flatbread, mixed with various ingredients like vegetables, eggs, meat, and spices.

Origin of Kottu Roti is believed to have originated in Batticaloa, a city in eastern Sri Lanka. It was reportedly created as a way to use up leftover roti, transforming it into a flavorful dish.

The distinct sound of metal blades chopping the ingredients on a hot griddle or iron skillet is a trademark of the unique preparation of Kottu. Chefs use two metal spatulas or cleavers to rhythmically chop and mix the ingredients together, creating a symphony of sizzling sounds.

While the most common version includes chicken or beef, various regional and individual preferences have led to a wide range of Kottu varieties. Some may include seafood, cheese, or even vegetarian options with paneer, tofu, soya or even chickpeas.

But the one now known and infamous Police Kottu is a totally different story, and to deal with it is for some other time.

Kottu Roti has become an integral part of Sri Lankan cuisine and culture, enjoyed by people of all backgrounds and ages. It's not just a dish but also a symbol of communal dining and street food culture.

Over time, chefs have experimented with mixing it with the traditional recipe, creating fusion versions using edible and rare wild mushrooms, deviating from the original concept while maintaining the essence of the dish.

What more can be added to make it more appealing?

Perhaps a flambe version to be called “Gindara Kottu” (ගින්දර කොත්තු) or a dash or two of quality rum and call it whatever one wants to call it.

These facts showcase the rich history and cultural significance of Kottu Roti within Sri Lanka and its growing popularity worldwide among food enthusiasts.

There are few outlets run by Sri Lankans living in places like the US and UK, and a few European countries offer this dish.

But is that enough? Is that my question?

Simply by adding more meat and making it less spicy, it can be made another darling of those who love to try out exotic food.

Even Sri Lanka should take a patent on this to make it popular and franchise it in other parts of the world.

I am sure you all must have heard about the guy now well known as the “Dosawala” his real name is Thiru, and originally from Jaffna, Sri Lanka, selling his Dosa in a street cart in Washington Park. New York City.

I was happy to see people from different walks of life and ethnic backgrounds patiently queue up for more than 15 minutes to try out his famous crispy dosas made to order in front of their own eyes. 

Now it is time to take Kottu to the world too.

Over to you, if any entrepreneur is listening here.

Finally, I humbly offer my gratitude to Doctor Jayadeva De Silva for allowing me to peel a page off his Facebook wall to create this.