Toor Dal (Arhar) Tadka vs Rajma Curry
Both sides computed from the same table, at the serving each is actually eaten in.
The short answer
Which one is heavier
Per 100 g, rajma curry is heavier — 144 kcal against 91 kcal for toor dal (arhar) tadka, about 58% more. Per real serving the picture changes: 1 katori cooked dal of toor dal (arhar) tadka is 137 kcal, while 1 katori rajma of rajma curry is 216 kcal, because the portions are not the same size. On protein, rajma curry wins with 6.0 g per 100 g.
SOURCE·ICMR–NIN dietary guidance for Indians + weighed portions·1 katori cooked dal entered at 150 g·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Side by side
| Toor Dal (Arhar) Tadka | Rajma Curry | |
|---|---|---|
| Serving assumed | 1 katori cooked dal · 150 g | 1 katori rajma · 150 g |
| Calories per serving | 137 | 216 |
| Calories per 100 g | 91 | 144 |
| Protein per 100 g | 3.8 g | 6.0 g |
| Carbs per 100 g | 10.2 g | 16.4 g |
| Fat per 100 g | 3.6 g | 5.8 g |
| Fibre per 100 g | 1.9 g | 5.8 g |
| Walking to burn one serving | 32 min | 50 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 toor dal (arhar) tadka and rajma curry 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 cooked dal at 150 g, 1 katori rajma 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.
Toor Dal (Arhar) 91 kcal/100 g × 150 g ÷ 100 = 137 kcal Rajma Curry 144 kcal/100 g × 150 g ÷ 100 = 216 kcal
How to read this
Per-100 g comparisons flatter whatever is eaten in small portions. Rajma Curry is denser per gram, but people do not eat by the gram — toor dal (arhar) tadka arrives as 1 katori cooked dal and rajma curry as 1 katori rajma, and that is where the real difference shows up.
Rajma Curry 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, toor dal (arhar) tadka or rajma curry?
Per 100 g, rajma curry is heavier — 144 kcal against 91 kcal for toor dal (arhar) tadka, about 58% more. Per real serving the picture changes: 1 katori cooked dal of toor dal (arhar) tadka is 137 kcal, while 1 katori rajma of rajma curry is 216 kcal, because the portions are not the same size. On protein, rajma curry wins with 6.0 g per 100 g.
Which has more protein, toor dal (arhar) tadka or rajma curry?
Rajma Curry — 6.0 g per 100 g against 3.8 g. Per real serving that becomes 9.0 g in 1 katori rajma against 5.7 g in 1 katori cooked dal.
Why do the two comparisons disagree?
Because a per-100 g comparison flatters whatever is eaten in small portions. 1 katori cooked dal of toor dal (arhar) tadka weighs 150 g and 1 katori rajma of rajma curry 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
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