Rice dishes
Calories in Curd Rice
One plate of curd rice has about 423 kcal, with 12.4 g of protein, 71.2 g of carbohydrate and 9.3 g of fat. The Indian Nutrient Databank gives this for a plate made from 80 g of raw rice, 61 g of curd, 60 ml of milk and 1 teaspoon of oil. A small bowl has less.
Nutrition in 1 plate of curd rice
| Nutrient | 1 plate of curd rice | 2 plates of curd rice |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 423 kcal | 846 kcal |
| Protein | 12.4 g | 24.8 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 71.2 g | 142.4 g |
| Total fat | 9.3 g | 18.6 g |
| Dietary fibre | 4.6 g | 9.2 g |
| Sugars | 8.5 g | 17 g |
Of this energy, about 68% comes from carbohydrate, 20% from fat and 12% from protein.
1 plate of curd rice is about 20% of the daily energy requirement of a sedentary adult man and 25% of a sedentary adult woman's (ICMR-NIN, 2020).
These figures are from the Indian Nutrient Databank (INDB), which calculates each dish from a standard recipe using Indian food composition data. They describe that recipe and that serving: a larger portion, or more oil, ghee or sugar, gives more. Source: Vijayakumar A, Dubasi HB, Awasthi A, Jaacks LM. Development of an Indian Food Composition Database. Current Developments in Nutrition. 2024;8(7):103790 (Indian Nutrient Databank, INDB).
What this figure covers
The recipe is one plate: 80 g of raw rice cooked soft, mixed with 61 g of curd and 60 ml of milk, and finished with a tempering in 1 teaspoon of oil. The proportions are rice-heavy. Many homes fold in a good deal more curd for the same rice, and the curd rice that closes a South Indian meal is a few spoonfuls, not a plate. For that small end-of-meal helping even half a plate, 212 kcal, is on the high side. The full figure suits curd rice eaten as the whole lunch, from a tiffin box or on a hot afternoon.
Carbohydrate supplies 68% of the energy, fat 20% and protein 12%. The rice brings nearly all the carbohydrate. The curd and milk bring most of the protein beyond what rice has, and they add calcium, which rice cooked without dairy has very little of. The fat is split between the dairy and the teaspoon of oil in the tempering. With so little oil, this is one of the lighter plates, fourth lightest of the 13 rice dishes in the set, at 423 kcal against 563 kcal for lemon rice made with the same rice.
What changes the number
- 01
How much curd to how much rice
The recipe is mostly rice with a modest amount of dairy. Adding more curd to the same rice raises the protein and calcium and adds few calories. Using more rice per plate does the opposite, so the ratio matters as much as the total.
- 02
Full-cream or toned milk and curd
Full-cream milk and the curd set from it are richer in fat than their toned versions, and some cooks stir in cream or butter as well. Those choices move the fat share, which is 20% of the energy in this recipe.
- 03
What goes into the tempering
One teaspoon of oil is counted, about 44 kcal. A second teaspoon makes the plate 467 kcal. Cashews fried in the tempering add more than the mustard seeds, curry leaves and chillies do.
- 04
Fruit and garnish
Pomegranate, grapes, grated carrot and cucumber are common additions. They add a little natural sugar and some fibre and barely change the calories; fried boondi or sev on top changes them more.
How curd rice compares
Other dishes of the same kind, one serving each, lightest first. Serving sizes differ, so read the serving before the number.
| Dish | One serving | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khichdi | 1 bowl of khichdi | 327 | 9.9 |
| Jeera Rice | 1 plate of jeera rice | 366 | 6.7 |
| Mutton Biryani | 1 plate of mutton biryani | 396 | 15.3 |
| Curd Rice | 1 plate of curd rice | 423 | 12.4 |
| Egg Fried Rice | 1 plate of egg fried rice | 424 | 14.2 |
| Plain Pulao | 1 plate of plain pulao | 432 | 7.2 |
| Tamarind Rice | 1 plate of tamarind rice | 477 | 9.5 |
| Vegetable Pulao | 1 plate of vegetable pulao | 496 | 11.9 |
| Sabudana Khichdi | 1 bowl of sabudana khichdi | 508 | 7.4 |
| Matar Pulao | 1 plate of matar pulao | 514 | 18.4 |
| Vegetable Biryani | 1 plate of vegetable biryani | 527 | 9.5 |
| Vangi Bath | 1 plate of vangi bath | 538 | 15.4 |
| Lemon Rice | 1 plate of lemon rice | 563 | 13.6 |
In a meal and in a day
A full plate of curd rice comes to about 20% of a sedentary man's daily energy requirement and 25% of a woman's. As a complete lunch it is gentle and filling but thin on vegetables, with 4.6 g of fibre in the plate, so a vegetable side or a raw salad rounds it out better than pickle alone. Its 12.4 g of protein is helpful, and adding more curd lifts that. Eaten as the last course after sambar rice and rasam rice, it is one more helping of rice, and a few spoonfuls are enough.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Mix more curd and less rice into each plate; the bowl stays as full and the calories fall.
- Use curd set from toned milk and leave out cream or butter.
- Keep the tempering to 1 teaspoon of oil and skip fried cashews.
- Add grated cucumber, carrot or pomegranate for volume and fibre.
- As an end-of-meal course, take a few spoonfuls instead of a full plate.
Before you rely on the number
The figure assumes a full plate built on 80 g of raw rice, which is a meal and not a finishing course; mistaking one for the other is the usual way curd rice gets miscounted. The rice is salted before any pickle is added, and pickle is very salty. Anyone limiting salt for blood pressure, or managing diabetes with a set rice portion, should follow their doctor or dietitian on how much to have.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
Curd Rice: common questions
How many calories are in 2 plates of curd rice?
About 846 kcal, with 24.8 g of protein, 142.4 g of carbohydrate and 18.6 g of fat. Two full plates is a lot of rice. A small bowl after a meal is far less than one plate, so match the figure to the amount actually eaten.
Is curd rice good for weight loss?
It is one of the lighter rice dishes here at 423 kcal a plate, and the curd adds protein that plain rice lacks. It is still mostly rice. A version with more curd, some grated vegetables and less rice gives a fuller bowl for fewer calories. The result on weight depends on portion and on the day's other meals.
How much protein is in curd rice?
About 12.4 g in a plate, which is 12% of its energy. The rice supplies some and the 61 g of curd and 60 ml of milk add to it. Mixing in extra curd is the simplest way to raise the protein without adding much energy.
Curd rice or tamarind rice: which is lighter?
Curd rice, in this recipe set: 423 kcal a plate against 477 kcal for tamarind rice and 563 kcal for lemon rice. All three start from the same quantity of rice. Curd rice also has more protein than tamarind rice, 12.4 g against 9.5 g.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Curd Rice (Thayir Sadam)
The recipe on this site, step by step.
Rice: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Milk: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Curd vs Yoghurt: What Is the Difference, and Which Is Better?
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Is It Good to Eat Curd at Night? What Ayurveda Says and What Evidence Shows
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Calories in a Bowl of Rice: White, Brown, and Does Rice Make You Fat?
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Indian food calorie counter
Add up a whole plate in rotis, katoris and cups.
Calories in every dish
All the cooked dishes, with calories per serving.
Learn to read a plate
Certification in Nutrition
Estimating what is on a plate and turning it into a meal plan is taught in this NNWA course.