Rajma Curry vs Chole (Chana Masala)

Both sides computed from the same table, at the serving each is actually eaten in.

Rajma Curry

216

kcal per 1 katori rajma (150 g) · 144 kcal/100 g

Chole (Chana Masala)

245

kcal per 1 katori chole (150 g) · 163 kcal/100 g

More energy-dense

The short answer

Which one is heavier

Per 100 g, chole (chana masala) is heavier — 163 kcal against 144 kcal for rajma curry, about 13% more. Per real serving the picture changes: 1 katori rajma of rajma curry is 216 kcal, while 1 katori chole of chole (chana masala) is 245 kcal, because the portions are not the same size. On protein, chole (chana masala) wins with 6.1 g per 100 g.

SOURCE·ICMR–NIN dietary guidance for Indians + weighed portions·1 katori rajma entered at 150 g·REVIEWED JUL 2026

Side by side

	Rajma Curry	Chole (Chana Masala)
Serving assumed	1 katori rajma · 150 g	1 katori chole · 150 g
Calories per serving	216	245
Calories per 100 g	144	163
Protein per 100 g	6.0 g	6.1 g
Carbs per 100 g	16.4 g	20.0 g
Fat per 100 g	5.8 g	6.8 g
Fibre per 100 g	5.8 g	4.7 g
Walking to burn one serving	50 min	57 min

SOURCE·IFCT 2017 + published recipe weights·REVIEWED JUL 2026

How two dishes are made comparable

Both columns start from the same source — the per-100 g rows for rajma curry and chole (chana masala) in the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Neither side is taken from a different database to win an argument.
Each dish keeps its own serving weight: 1 katori rajma at 150 g, 1 katori chole at 150 g. Forcing both onto a shared 100 g is what makes most food comparisons useless.
Both rows are then scaled the same way and printed side by side, so the per-gram ranking and the per-plate ranking can visibly disagree — which, on Indian food, they routinely do.

Rajma Curry        144 kcal/100 g × 150 g ÷ 100 = 216 kcal
Chole (Chana Mas   163 kcal/100 g × 150 g ÷ 100 = 245 kcal

The full method, and where it is weakest →

How to read this

Per-100 g comparisons flatter whatever is eaten in small portions. Chole (Chana Masala) is denser per gram, but people do not eat by the gram — rajma curry arrives as 1 katori rajma and chole (chana masala) as 1 katori chole, and that is where the real difference shows up.

Chole (Chana Masala) carries more protein, which matters more than the calorie gap if you are trying to stay full. Fibre also favours rajma curry here. Both figures assume home cooking with a measured amount of oil; a restaurant plate of either can run 30 to 60% higher.

Questions

Which has more calories, rajma curry or chole (chana masala)?

Which has more protein, rajma curry or chole (chana masala)?

Chole (Chana Masala) — 6.1 g per 100 g against 6.0 g. Per real serving that becomes 9.1 g in 1 katori chole against 9.0 g in 1 katori rajma.

Why do the two comparisons disagree?

Because a per-100 g comparison flatters whatever is eaten in small portions. 1 katori rajma of rajma curry weighs 150 g and 1 katori chole of chole (chana masala) weighs 150 g, so the per-gram ranking and the per-plate ranking are answering different questions. The serving row is the one that decides what you ate.

Nutrient values are averages for the stated preparation, based on the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (ICMR–NIN) and standard recipe analysis. Energy is reconciled against the macronutrients with Atwater factors on every build. General information only — not medical or nutrition advice. Home-cooked Indian food varies enormously with oil, ghee and portion size; every value here is an average for a stated serving, with the assumption shown.

SOURCE·IFCT 2017 + published recipe weights·REVIEWED JUL 2026

The people behind these sites

Follow the build

This site and nine others like it are built and photographed by two people: Amit Sharma — behind the build; Geeta Patel — the poses, demonstrated. New work goes up on Instagram and Facebook before it reaches a page here.

Amit Sharma @amitsharmaofficial Instagram

Geeta Patel @geetapatelnz Instagram

Geeta Patel GeetaPatelYoga Facebook

Following changes nothing here — every page stays open, with no account and no wall.