Recipe: Sri Lankan Vegetable Kothu Roti

By Imashi Fernando MS, RDN, CD

“Where is Sri Lanka?”

This is a question I get asked almost every time I share where I am from. 

 

This is often followed by “what do you miss the most about home?”

 

Sri Lanka is a tiny country off of the southern coast of India. Referred to as the pearl of the Indian ocean, it is a beautiful tropical island with beaches, mountains, wildlife, a 3000 year old history, and a culturally and ethnically diverse population of 21 million. 

 

As for what I miss the most about Sri Lanka: after my family, it is without doubt the food! Contrary to popular belief, Sri Lankan food is very different from Indian food; the key difference lies in the spices used in Sri Lankan cuisine. I could go on and on for days talking about the hundreds of different delicious dishes that are unique to Sri Lankan cuisine. Instead, I am just going to talk about my favorite dish – kothu roti. 

 

Kothu roti is one of the most popular street dishes in Sri Lanka, somewhat like the hamburger in the USA. Translated into English as “chopped bread”, kothu roti is a spicy stir fry of chopped roti, veggies, and a protein option. It is a very versatile dish where you can easily make veggie and protein substitutions based on your preferences. Traditionally, kothu roti is prepared by street vendors on a large griddle with two metal spatulas hitting the surface of the griddle to create a musical spectacle as they mix the ingredients together. 

 

Have you ever tried a Sri Lankan dish before? Here is a list of popular Sri Lankan dishes. Which of these dishes would you like to try?

Below is the recipe for my adaptation of a vegetable kothu roti.

Vegetable Kothu Roti

Makes 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

Ingredients

  • 3 ½ cups roti1, roughly chopped into 1 inch pieces

  • 1 red onion, divided 

  • 2 roma tomatoes, roughly chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled 

  • 1 thumb of ginger, peeled

  • 1 jalapeno, deseeded and roughly chopped

  • 2 tbsp cooking oil2

  • 1 tbsp Sri Lankan roasted curry powder3

  • ½ tsp coriander powder

  • ½ tsp cumin powder

  • ⅛-¼ tsp chili powder – optional, adjust based on required spice level

  • 1 tbsp soy sauce

  • 1 cup shredded cabbage4

  • 1 cup shredded carrot4

  • ½ cup leeks, finely chopped

  • 2 eggs5, lightly beaten, seasoned with salt and pepper 

  • Salt, to taste

  • Squeeze of lemon – optional

  • Cilantro, to garnish

Instructions

  1. Combine ½ of the red onion (roughly chopped), roma tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno in a food processor and process to form a paste.

  2. Heat cooking oil in a large stir fry pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is heated, add processed paste and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste is browned and aromatic, about 5 minutes.

  3. Add Sri Lankan curry powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chili powder (if using), and soy sauce. Stir to combine.

  4. Add remaining onion, thinly sliced, cabbage, carrot, and leeks. Stir to combine, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables are tender-crisp.

  5. Mix in chopped roti and cook for an additional 2 minutes to warm up the roti.

  6. Push the mixture to one side of the pan to create space to scramble the eggs. Add in lightly beaten eggs, scramble until cooked, about 1-2 minutes, then mix well to combine with the rest of the dish.

  7. Season with salt to taste. Squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon if desired. Stir to combine.

  8. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.

Cooking Notes

1Traditionally this dish is made with a Sri Lankan flaky flatbread called godamba roti. Unfortunately godamba roti is not readily available at many grocery stores in the USA, and it is quite time intensive to make from scratch. The closest substitute is paratha, a South Indian flatbread that you can find in the frozen aisle of most Indian grocery stores and at Trader Joe’s. Follow instructions on the packaging to heat up the flatbread, then chop up into roughly 1 inch pieces. Typically 5 pieces of chopped paratha should yield approximately 3 ½ cups. Flour tortillas, while not the best substitute, could also work for this dish.

 

2I prefer using ghee (clarified butter) for it’s buttery and nutty flavor, however you can use any cooking oil you prefer.

 

3To make it an authentic Sri Lankan dish, I highly recommend buying Sri Lankan roasted curry powder. You can find it on Amazon, or locally at World Spice Merchants near Pike Place Market in Seattle, WA.

 

If you want to make it at home, here is my grandma’s recipe: Lightly roast in a pan until aromatic, then finely grind to a powder – 4 tbsp coriander seed, 3 tbsp cumin seed, 1 tbsp fennel seed, ½ tbsp black pepper seed, ¼ tsp mustard seed, 2 pieces dried red chili, 2 pieces cardamom, 1 clove, 1 small piece cinnamon stick, 1 small piece lemongrass, and 3-4 curry leaves. Yields ½ cup of Sri Lankan roasted curry powder. If not, any other curry powder will also work with this recipe, but the flavors will be different.

4For convenience, I just buy a bag of coleslaw mix and use 2 cups. You will not get an equal amount of shredded cabbage and carrot, but this is okay. 

5Eggs are traditionally incorporated into this dish. For a non-vegetarian version, you can also mix in some shredded rotisserie chicken or pulled pork after step #6. For a vegan version, eliminate the eggs, and mix in a vegan protein source like cooked tofu or tempeh.

Screen Shot 2021-02-15 at 6.02.17 PM

Hello! My name is Imashi. I am a retail dietitian at Performance Kitchen Crafted and I manage two of their retail locations in the Greater Seattle Area. I completed my dietetic internship and graduated with my Master’s degree in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Washington. My areas of interest are wellness promotion/prevention of chronic disease (especially type 2 diabetes) and nutrition communications.