Kottuville on wheels: Sri Lanka’s first food truck

Tuesday, 2 April 2013 00:42 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cntraveler: The clatter of knives on hot iron is a sure indication that dinnertime has arrived, and kottu is what’s on the menu. Kottu is a Sri Lankan invention of chopped roti, spices, and fried vegetables, with optional add-ons of egg and meat.

Consumed by most locals, the iconic dish now has wheels, thanks to a group of up-and-comers in Colombo who just launched Sri Lanka’s first food truck.

Kottuville co-owner and Director Rukmankan Sivaloganathan calls kottu “The classic Sri Lankan comfort food,” but until now it’s been available only in casual street-side restaurants where hygiene is, at best, barely adequate.

Sivaloganathan and his partners decided to make a change by standardising the cooking process, adding varieties such as paneer and sausage, parking near office buildings at lunchtime, and serving it in Chinese takeaway-style containers to eat on the go.

“Everyone in Sri Lanka consumes kottu, it’s the most egalitarian dish in the country,” Sivaloganathan said. “We’re just making it better, by focusing on hygiene, creating variety, and of course making it mobile.”

Hungry workers and visitors should check Twitter and facebook for daily updates on where the truck is heading.