Kothu fest Toronto, Sri Lankan Kothu Roti

About Kothu, Kothu roti

Kothu is a Sri Lankan dish made with roti (an unleavened flatbread), vegetables, meat, egg and spices. A spicy chicken or fish gravy is added or served with it. The different components that make up kothu are chopped and mixed using two metal blades resembling dough scrapers on a flat hot plate. It is one of the most loved roadside dishes and is commonly eaten as dinner.

Also called Kothuthu, kottu or kothu roti (chopped roti), it looks like Cabbage rice and in its popularity, it reminds me of the Nigerian Abacha. The first time I saw kothu, I thought it was shredded cabbage mixed with some spices, how wrong I was.

Kothu fest Toronto 2018

Kothu fest is a food and cultural festival celebrating this Sri Lankan street food, kothu roti. It is organised by members of the Tamil and Sri Lankan communities in Canada. The 2018 edition of Kothu fest Toronto was held on July 28 from 11.30 am to 11 pm. It took place at Yonge-Dundas Square next to the Toronto Eaton Centre.

Prior to this, the festival which started in 2015, was held at the Albert Campbell Square at the Scarborough Civic Centre. Both Sri Lankans and those unfamiliar with kothu were at the Yonge-Dundas Square for the food, fun and culture because when it comes to food, everyone speaks the same language.

Kothu roti vendors served several types of Kothu and for a first timer, it was quite overwhelming. There was chicken kothu, Mutton kothu, Vegetable kothu, Shrimp kothu and even a Poutine kothu (how Canadian can they get? Lol). There were also short eats (snacks or small chops in Nigerian parlance), vadai (Sri Lankan doughnut), mutton/fish patties, kadalai (spiced chickpea) etc. There was also jerk chicken and roasted corn-on-the-cob.

Kothu fest Toronto had music from different local artists, Raghavy, Roveena, Canadian hip-hop artists Shan Vincent De Paul featuring Navz, Raj forever (UK) etc. and lots of dancing and games e.g KothuRoti Eating Competition and a Teach Me How to Kothu Dance workshop.

My daughter, son and I bought chicken kothu, jerk chicken and a bunch of other items which we all enjoyed and I know kothu roti is a dish I’d love to eat again and again and again.