Macros in Indian Food: 50 Common Dishes (Protein, Carbs & Fat)
The complete macro reference for Indian food — dal, roti, rice, paneer, curries, snacks, and more. All values sourced from the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), published by the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad.
Quick answer: The macros in Indian food vary widely by dish and cooking method. A cup of dal tadka has ~150 kcal with 9g protein; one medium roti has ~80 kcal with 3g protein; 100g paneer has ~265 kcal with 18g protein. See the full tables below for 50 common dishes.
Most macro tracking apps use USDA food databases built for Western diets. If you've ever searched for "moong dal" in MyFitnessPal and found 12 conflicting entries, you know the problem. This reference page uses India's own authoritative food composition data so you can trust the numbers.
All values are per standard serving size unless otherwise noted. Cooked weight is used for grains and legumes since that's how we actually eat them.
Dals & Legumes
| Dish | Serving | Cal | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dal Tadka (toor dal) | 1 cup (240ml) | 150 | 9 | 22 | 3 |
| Moong Dal (cooked) | 1 cup (240ml) | 140 | 10 | 20 | 1 |
| Chana Dal (cooked) | 1 cup (240ml) | 180 | 11 | 28 | 2 |
| Masoor Dal (cooked) | 1 cup (240ml) | 145 | 10 | 23 | 1 |
| Dal Makhani | 1 cup (240ml) | 280 | 12 | 30 | 11 |
| Rajma (cooked) | 1 cup (200g) | 220 | 13 | 38 | 1 |
| Chole/Chana Masala | 1 cup (200g) | 240 | 12 | 36 | 5 |
| Sprouted Moong | 1 cup (100g) | 60 | 4 | 9 | 0.5 |
Breads & Rice
| Dish | Serving | Cal | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roti / Chapati (whole wheat) | 1 medium (30g) | 80 | 3 | 15 | 1 |
| Paratha (plain) | 1 medium (60g) | 180 | 4 | 26 | 6 |
| Paratha (aloo stuffed) | 1 (100g) | 260 | 5 | 38 | 9 |
| Naan (tandoor) | 1 piece (90g) | 270 | 8 | 45 | 5 |
| Puri | 1 medium (30g) | 110 | 2 | 14 | 5 |
| Steamed Rice (white) | 1 cup cooked (180g) | 240 | 5 | 52 | 0.5 |
| Steamed Rice (brown) | 1 cup cooked (180g) | 220 | 5 | 46 | 2 |
| Jeera Rice | 1 cup (200g) | 270 | 5 | 52 | 4 |
| Biryani (chicken) | 1 plate (350g) | 520 | 30 | 60 | 14 |
| Biryani (veg) | 1 plate (350g) | 430 | 10 | 72 | 11 |
Dairy & Paneer
| Dish | Serving | Cal | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paneer (raw) | 100g | 265 | 18 | 3 | 20 |
| Paneer Butter Masala | 1 cup (200g) | 380 | 16 | 18 | 28 |
| Palak Paneer | 1 cup (200g) | 280 | 14 | 12 | 20 |
| Dahi / Curd (full fat) | 1 cup (200g) | 120 | 8 | 10 | 5 |
| Raita (plain) | 1 cup (200g) | 100 | 6 | 10 | 4 |
| Lassi (sweet) | 1 glass (300ml) | 200 | 8 | 30 | 5 |
| Ghee | 1 tsp (5g) | 45 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Milk (full fat) | 1 glass (250ml) | 150 | 8 | 12 | 8 |
Meat & Eggs
| Dish | Serving | Cal | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egg (whole, boiled) | 1 large (50g) | 70 | 6 | 0.5 | 5 |
| Egg Bhurji (2 eggs) | 1 serving | 210 | 13 | 4 | 15 |
| Chicken Breast (grilled) | 100g | 165 | 31 | 0 | 4 |
| Butter Chicken | 1 cup (250g) | 350 | 28 | 14 | 20 |
| Chicken Curry (home style) | 1 cup (250g) | 290 | 25 | 8 | 17 |
| Mutton Curry | 1 cup (250g) | 380 | 28 | 6 | 26 |
| Fish Curry (rohu) | 1 cup (250g) | 220 | 22 | 6 | 11 |
| Tandoori Chicken (leg) | 1 leg (150g) | 230 | 28 | 4 | 11 |
South Indian Breakfast
| Dish | Serving | Cal | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idli (plain) | 2 pieces (80g) | 90 | 4 | 18 | 0.5 |
| Dosa (plain) | 1 medium (60g) | 110 | 3 | 20 | 2 |
| Masala Dosa | 1 (150g) | 210 | 5 | 34 | 6 |
| Upma | 1 cup (150g) | 190 | 5 | 28 | 6 |
| Poha | 1 cup (150g) | 200 | 4 | 38 | 4 |
| Sambar | 1 cup (200ml) | 90 | 5 | 12 | 2 |
| Uttapam (plain) | 1 medium (80g) | 130 | 4 | 22 | 3 |
Snacks
| Dish | Serving | Cal | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samosa (1 piece) | 1 medium (60g) | 140 | 3 | 18 | 6 |
| Pakora (mixed) | 5 pieces (80g) | 190 | 5 | 22 | 9 |
| Moong Dal Chilla | 2 (100g) | 150 | 10 | 20 | 3 |
| Besan Chilla | 2 (100g) | 160 | 8 | 22 | 4 |
| Soya Chunks (cooked) | 100g | 150 | 18 | 10 | 0.5 |
| Sattu Drink (plain) | 1 glass (250ml) | 120 | 7 | 20 | 1 |
| Dhokla | 3 pieces (90g) | 180 | 8 | 28 | 4 |
How to Use This Data
A few important notes before you plug these numbers into your tracker:
Cooked vs. raw weight
All dal and rice values above are for cooked food. Raw moong dal has ~24g protein per 100g, but after cooking it roughly triples in weight — so cooked moong dal has ~8g protein per 100g. Always log by cooked weight.
Cooking oil adds up
Tadka (tempering) adds 3–5g fat per cup of dal. If you fry vegetables in oil before adding them to a curry, add the oil used. One tablespoon of oil = 14g fat = 126 calories.
Restaurant portions are larger
Restaurant dal makhani portions are typically 1.5–2x a home serving and contain more ghee. Assume at least 400–450 kcal for a restaurant dal makhani portion.
Thali estimation
A standard home thali (2 roti + 1 cup dal + 1 cup sabzi + rice + dahi) totals roughly 700–900 kcal depending on sabzi and oil used.
Key Takeaways
- Dal is India's most reliable plant protein source — aim for 2–3 cups per day if vegetarian
- Paneer packs 18g protein per 100g but also 20g fat — great for protein, account for the calories
- One roti has only 80 kcal — the fat comes from ghee added on top, not the roti itself
- Soya chunks and moong dal chilla are the best protein-to-calorie ratio foods in Indian cuisine
- South Indian breakfast (idli, dosa) is naturally low-fat — perfect for weight loss days
- Always log cooking oil separately — it's the biggest hidden macro in Indian cooking
Track Your Indian Meals with Rozmac
Rozmac is built specifically for Indian food — with an extensive Indian food database, you can log dal, roti, paneer, and regional dishes without the frustration of mismatched entries. Set your macro targets and see your progress in real-time with beautiful donut charts.
Join the WaitlistData sourced from: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Values are approximate and may vary based on recipe, ingredients, and cooking method.