Calories in Indian food: roti, rice, dal, paneer and more

Indian home cooking can be some of the healthiest food in the world, or some of the most calorie-dense, depending on the ghee, the portion and the side dishes. This guide gives you typical calories for everyday dishes, so you can log a thali without guessing.

All values are typical home-style versions. Restaurant food is usually richer, often 20 to 50% more, because of extra oil, butter and cream.

Breads

Dish	Typical portion	Calories	Protein
Roti / chapati	1 medium (40 g)	119	4 g
Aloo paratha	1 paratha (100 g)	280	6 g
Naan	1 naan (90 g)	279	8 g

A plain roti with no ghee is one of the lightest breads you can eat. Brushing it with a teaspoon of ghee adds about 40 calories, so two buttered rotis cost about the same as one naan.

Rice and rice dishes

Dish	Typical portion	Calories	Protein
White rice, cooked	1 cup (158 g)	205	4 g
Dal chawal	1 plate (350 g)	455	14 g
Rajma chawal	1 plate (350 g)	490	16 g
Chole chawal	1 plate (350 g)	525	18 g

Dals and curries

Dish	Typical portion	Calories	Protein
Dal (plain, cooked)	1 katori (150 g)	174	11 g
Rajma curry	1 katori (150 g)	210	9 g
Dal makhani	1 katori (150 g)	285	11 g
Egg curry	1 serving (200 g)	260	16 g
Palak paneer	1 serving (150 g)	270	12 g
Butter chicken	1 serving (200 g)	480	34 g

Notice the jump from plain dal (174) to dal makhani (285) for the same katori: that’s butter and cream. Curries vary more than anything else in this guide, because the oil and cream change from kitchen to kitchen. For your own cooking, the most accurate number comes from weighing the pot.

Breakfast and South Indian

Dish	Typical portion	Calories	Protein
Idli	1 idli (40 g)	54	1 g
Dosa (plain)	1 dosa (80 g)	134	3 g
Poha	1 bowl (200 g)	260	5 g
Upma	1 bowl (200 g)	264	6 g

Three idlis with sambar is one of the lightest filling breakfasts around. A masala dosa adds the potato filling and more oil, so it’s typically double a plain one.

Snacks and street food

Dish	Typical portion	Calories	Protein
Samosa	1 samosa (60 g)	185	3 g
Paneer tikka	1 serving (120 g)	324	18 g
Chole bhature	1 plate (300 g)	840	21 g

The extras that add up

Item	Portion	Calories
Ghee	1 tbsp (14 g)	126
Curd / dahi	1 katori (150 g)	90
Paneer	100 g	296

Paneer is a great protein source for vegetarians, but it’s also high in fat: 100 g has about as many calories as a cup and a half of rice.

Easy swaps

• Roti instead of naan or paratha: two plain rotis (about 240) versus a naan (about 280) or a buttered paratha (300+), and more fibre.
• Plain dal instead of dal makhani: about 110 calories less per katori.
• Measure the tadka: use one tablespoon of oil or ghee for a family pot, not “a good pour”. That alone can save 100 to 200 calories per person.
• Bulk up with vegetables: half the plate sabzi, a quarter dal or paneer, a quarter rice or roti.
• Curd on the side: adds protein and makes a smaller portion of rice feel more filling.

A sample day around 1,700 calories

• Breakfast: 3 idlis with a katori of sambar and a cup of chai: about 350
• Lunch: 2 rotis, a katori of dal, mixed sabzi and a katori of curd: about 600
• Snack: a fruit and a handful of roasted chana: about 200
• Dinner: a cup of rice, palak paneer (150 g) and salad: about 520

Adjust the rice and rotis up or down to hit your own target. If you’re not sure what that target is, see how many calories you need.

Logging Indian food quickly

Search for the dish by its everyday name (roti, dal, rajma chawal), pick the portion you know (1 roti, 1 katori, 1 plate) and adjust the quantity. Save your usual breakfast and thali as saved meals and they’re one tap from then on. Open the tracker to try it.