Protein in everyday Indian foods: per katori, per roti, per glass
How much protein is in a katori of dal, a roti, a glass of milk or a plate of paneer tikka? A simple chart in the portions you actually eat.
EZMeal team
2 min read
Most nutrition charts list protein per 100 g, but nobody eats dal in grams. This chart shows the protein in everyday Indian foods per portion you actually serve: per roti, per katori, per glass.
A katori here means a standard small bowl of about 150 ml. Home recipes vary, so treat these as good estimates rather than exact figures.
Dals, beans and chana
| Food | Portion | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toor dal tadka | 1 katori (150 g) | 7 g | 152 kcal |
| Moong dal | 1 katori (150 g) | 7.6 g | 147 kcal |
| Masoor dal | 1 katori (150 g) | 7.9 g | 154 kcal |
| Rajma masala | 1 katori (160 g) | 8.8 g | 186 kcal |
| Chole | 1 katori (160 g) | 7.7 g | 197 kcal |
| Kala chana curry | 1 katori (160 g) | 7.8 g | 190 kcal |
| Sambar | 1 katori (150 g) | 5.9 g | 145 kcal |
| Moong sprouts salad | 1 katori (150 g) | 10.1 g | 154 kcal |
| Roasted chana | 3 tbsp (30 g) | 6.8 g | 111 kcal |
Paneer, soya and dairy
| Food | Portion | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soya chunks curry | 1 katori (160 g) | 17.1 g | 188 kcal |
| Palak paneer | 1 katori (170 g) | 15.3 g | 253 kcal |
| Paneer bhurji | 1 katori (120 g) | 13.4 g | 246 kcal |
| Tofu bhurji | 1 katori (140 g) | 8.7 g | 137 kcal |
| Hung curd with fruit | 1 bowl (200 g) | 10.9 g | 175 kcal |
| Milk (toned) | 1 glass (200 ml) | 6.2 g | 116 kcal |
| Curd | 1 katori (100 g) | 3.4 g | 62 kcal |
| Masala chaas | 1 glass (250 ml) | 2.8 g | 52 kcal |
Eggs, chicken and fish
| Food | Portion | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiled egg | 1 egg | 6.3 g | 72 kcal |
| Egg bhurji | 2 eggs (1 katori) | 13 g | 200 kcal |
| Chicken curry (home-style) | 1 katori (180 g) | 20.6 g | 252 kcal |
| Chicken tikka | 1 plate (130 g) | 28 g | 191 kcal |
| Fish curry | 1 katori (190 g) | 19.3 g | 178 kcal |
Roti, rice and breakfast staples
| Food | Portion | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roti (phulka) | 1 medium | 3.2 g | 96 kcal |
| Steamed rice | 1 katori (150 g) | 4 g | 178 kcal |
| Idli | 1 piece | 2.1 g | 63 kcal |
| Moong dal chilla | 1 piece | 10 g | 178 kcal |
| Besan chilla | 1 piece | 9.2 g | 197 kcal |
| Kanda poha | 1 plate (180 g) | 6.6 g | 290 kcal |
What this means on your plate
Dal is a good base, not the whole story. One katori gives 6–9 g. Pairing it with curd, paneer or a chilla at another meal adds up quickly.
Roti and rice count too. Two roti give about 6 g of protein, which matters across a whole day.
Soya chunks and paneer are the vegetarian heavy-hitters, at 13–17 g per katori.
Spread it out. Some protein at each meal is easier than trying to fit it all into dinner.
How much protein you need depends on your weight, activity and goal. EZMeal works out a daily target for you and builds meals that reach it.
Values are estimates for typical home recipes, based on Indian food composition data (IFCT 2017), including cooking oil.
This article is general information for healthy adults, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or take regular medication, speak to your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing your diet.
