First popularized as a grab-and-go meal in the 1960s, Kottu Roti is one of the rare dishes that is as beloved amongst tourists as it is amongst locals. Featuring all the trademarks of Sri Lankan fare – flatbread, mouth-watering meat, fresh vegetables, and aromatic spices – Kottu is prepared on a sizzling griddle with theatrics as spectacular as the taste.
Once all the ingredients have been heated on the griddle, the chef uses special blades to finely chop and incorporate everything together; the rhythmic metal clanging that accompanies the chopping has long served both as the trademark of Kottu Rotti, and as a call to draw in hungry customers – some chefs even make a point of chopping with a melody to help stand apart from the rest of the vendors.