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Most "high protein Indian foods" lists quote grams per 100 g. That is the number on the dry packet — not the number on your plate. A katori of cooked dal is mostly water. This list gives you both, so you can plan a day instead of admiring a table.
Useful for comparing ingredients in the shop:
Protein per 100 g from ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Dals, chana and soya are measured dry; paneer and curd as eaten.
This is what actually lands on your plate.
| Food | Per 100 g | Usual serving | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soya chunks | 52 g | 30 g dry | 16 g |
| Paneer | 18 g | 100 g | 18 g |
| Besan (2 chilla) | 22 g | 60 g | 13 g |
| Kala chana | 22 g | 50 g dry | 10 g |
| Rajma | 22 g | 1 katori | 8 g |
| Any dal, cooked | 24 g dry | 1 katori | 7 g |
| Curd | 3.5 g | 1 katori (150 g) | 5 g |
| Milk, toned | 3.2 g | 1 cup (200 ml) | 6 g |
| Peanuts | 25 g | 25 g | 6 g |
| Roti (atta) | 11 g | 1 roti | 3 g |
Our calculations from the IFCT 2017 values, using standard home portions. A katori of cooked dal comes from roughly 30 g of dry dal — the rest is water, which is why the two columns look so different.
Dry dal triples in weight as it absorbs water. The 24 g figure is per 100 g of dry dal; a normal katori of cooked dal contains only about 30 g of that dry dal. Nothing is wrong with either number — they are just measuring different things, and only one of them is dinner.
For most adults the ICMR-NIN recommendation is 0.8–1 g per kg of body weight — roughly 50–60 g a day at 60 kg. Four ordinary items get you there:
That's around 60 g without a scoop of powder in sight.
Spread it out. Breakfast is where most Indian diets lose their protein — poha or parathas land around 4–5 g. Fixing the morning usually matters more than adding anything at night. Seven breakfasts that cross 15 g.
The calculator works it out from your height, weight, age and activity level.
Get my target →Plant proteins are digested slightly less efficiently than dairy or egg, and a single plant source tends to be low in one amino acid or another. The traditional Indian plate already solves this: a cereal plus a pulse — dal and roti, idli and sambar, khichdi, rajma and rice. Eat them together, as everyone already does, and the combination covers the gaps.
Which Indian vegetarian food has the most protein?
Soya chunks, comfortably — around 52 g per 100 g dry. Paneer leads the everyday dairy options at 18 g per 100 g, and the dals cluster around 22–24 g per 100 g dry.
How much protein is in one katori of dal?
About 7 g. Two katoris across the day plus curd and roti adds up faster than most people expect.
Do I need protein powder as an Indian vegetarian?
Usually not. The day sketched above reaches roughly 60 g on ordinary groceries. Powder is a convenience for people who struggle to eat enough, not a requirement.
Log a normal day in the tracker, or describe your meals to the coach.
Track today Ask the coachServing figures are our own calculations from the raw-ingredient values above, using standard home portions. This article is educational information, not medical or nutrition advice — see a doctor and a registered dietitian before changing your diet.
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