Breakfast and tiffin
Calories in Dhokla
One piece of dhokla has about 87 kcal, with 5.4 g of protein, 12.3 g of carbohydrate and 2.1 g of fat. The figure is from the Indian Nutrient Databank and describes one of 8 pieces steamed from a batter of 150 g of besan and 150 g of curd, about 19 g of each per piece, with very little oil.
Nutrition in 1 piece of dhokla
| Nutrient | 1 piece of dhokla | 2 pieces of dhokla |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 87 kcal | 174 kcal |
| Protein | 5.4 g | 10.8 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 12.3 g | 24.6 g |
| Total fat | 2.1 g | 4.2 g |
| Dietary fibre | 2 g | 4 g |
| Sugars | 1.9 g | 3.8 g |
Of this energy, about 55% comes from carbohydrate, 21% from fat and 24% from protein.
1 piece of dhokla is about 4% of the daily energy requirement of a sedentary adult man and 5% 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 a plain home one: 150 g of besan and 150 g of curd whisked into a batter, steamed, cut into 8 pieces and finished with a single teaspoon of oil for the whole tray. Each piece therefore holds about 19 g of besan and 19 g of curd, which makes a fairly generous square. There is no sugar among the ingredients. The soft, sweet khaman sold at farsan shops is usually soaked in a tadka of sugar, water and more oil, so a shop piece of the same size will sit above 87 kcal.
Carbohydrate supplies 55% of the energy, protein 24% and fat 21%. Nearly all of it comes from the besan, a pulse flour that brings protein and fibre along with its starch, with a little more protein and some calcium from the curd. Because the batter is steamed and not fried, fat stays low at 2.1 g a piece. That combination is why dhokla offers more protein for its calories than most flour-based snacks do, as long as the tadka poured over it stays modest.
What goes into one serving
The recipe INDB analysed makes 8 pieces. These are its main ingredients; spices, salt and water are left out.
| Ingredient | In the recipe | In 1 piece of dhokla |
|---|---|---|
| Besan | 150 g | 19 g |
| Curds | 150 g | 19 g |
| Oil | 1 tsp | - |
What changes the number
- 01
The tadka poured on top
This recipe finishes 8 pieces with 1 teaspoon of oil. A heavier tadka changes that quickly: an extra teaspoon of oil landing on a single piece would take it from 87 kcal to about 131 kcal. Mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chillies add flavour without adding energy.
- 02
Sugar in the syrup
Sweet khaman gets its taste from sugar dissolved in the tadka water. Each teaspoon that a piece soaks up adds about 16 kcal, so one teaspoon makes it about 103 kcal and two about 119 kcal. The reference recipe has none.
- 03
How the tray is cut
The figure is for a tray cut into 8. Cut the same tray into smaller cubes and each one is proportionately less; half a piece is about 44 kcal. Shop dhokla is usually sold by weight, so judge pieces by their size and not by their number alone.
- 04
Chutney and toppings
Green chutney adds little. Sweet tamarind chutney adds sugar, and grated coconut or a shower of sev on top adds fat. None of them is inside the 87 kcal, so a dressed-up plate is always more than the plain pieces.
How dhokla 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idli | 1 idli | 34 | 1.2 |
| Rava Idli | 1 rava idli | 61 | 2.8 |
| Besan Chilla | 1 besan chilla | 71 | 4.1 |
| Pesarattu | 1 pesarattu | 76 | 3.3 |
| Dhokla | 1 piece of dhokla | 87 | 5.4 |
| Jowar Dosa | 1 jowar dosa | 97 | 2.8 |
| Egg Bhurji | 1 bowl of egg bhurji | 130 | 7.7 |
| Plain Dosa | 1 plain dosa | 138 | 3.7 |
| Omelette | 1 omelette | 144 | 6.8 |
| Upma | 1 bowl of upma | 157 | 3.5 |
| Semiya Upma | 1 bowl of semiya upma | 158 | 3.3 |
| Poha | 1 bowl of poha | 161 | 3.3 |
| Rava Dosa | 1 rava dosa | 167 | 5.4 |
| Uttapam | 1 uttapam | 174 | 4.2 |
| Oats Porridge | 1 bowl of oats porridge | 290 | 10.3 |
| Cornflakes With Milk | 1 bowl of cornflakes with milk | 326 | 10 |
| Meetha Dalia | 1 bowl of meetha dalia | 329 | 10.6 |
| Puttu | 1 puttu | 344 | 5.3 |
| Masala Dosa | 1 masala dosa | 345 | 6.9 |
| Vegetable Upma | 1 plate of vegetable upma | 345 | 11.1 |
| Namkeen Dalia | 1 plate of namkeen dalia | 346 | 9.7 |
| Stuffed Moong Dal Chilla | 1 stuffed moong dal chilla | 352 | 15.9 |
In a meal and in a day
Dhokla is eaten as breakfast, as a tea-time snack or as a side on a thali. A single piece of dhokla is about 4% of a sedentary man's daily energy requirement and 5% of a woman's. Three pieces make a reasonable light meal at 261 kcal with 16.2 g of protein, which is a good return of protein for that much energy. It is the fifth lightest of the 22 breakfast dishes in this set. What it lacks is vegetables, so a salad, some sprouts or a glass of chaas alongside fills the gap.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Steam it at home so the sugar and oil in the tadka are yours to decide.
- Temper the whole tray with a teaspoon of oil and plenty of mustard seeds and curry leaves.
- Skip the sugar syrup, or cut the sugar in it to a pinch.
- Eat it with green chutney and leave the sweet chutney and sev aside.
Before you rely on the number
Salt goes into the batter and often into the tadka as well, so a plate of several pieces adds up, and shop dhokla is often sweeter and sometimes saltier than a home tray. People asked to restrict salt for blood pressure, or managing diabetes, should take their portion from their doctor or dietitian. For everyone else the thing to watch is the sugar syrup, which is easy to overlook because dhokla does not taste like a sweet.
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.
Dhokla: common questions
How many calories are in 2 pieces of dhokla?
Two pieces of this size have about 174 kcal, with 10.8 g of protein, 24.6 g of carbohydrate and 4.2 g of fat. Three pieces come to 261 kcal. Add to that whatever sugar and oil the tadka carries if the dhokla is bought from a shop.
Is dhokla good for weight loss?
It is one of the better snack choices: steamed, 87 kcal a piece, with 24% of its energy from protein. The catch is that pieces are easy to keep eating, and shop versions carry extra sugar and oil. A few pieces with green chutney make a sensible portion; your weight follows the day's total, not this one snack.
How much protein is in dhokla?
About 5.4 g in one piece, from the besan and the curd. Two pieces give 10.8 g and three give 16.2 g, which is a useful amount for a vegetarian snack. Protein supplies 24% of the energy in a piece.
Does dhokla have more calories than idli?
Per piece, yes: 87 kcal for a piece of dhokla against 34 kcal for an idli in this set of recipes. Dhokla also has more protein, 5.4 g against 1.2 g, because it is made from besan and curd while an idli is mostly rice. The pieces are different sizes, so compare by how many you actually eat.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Dhokla (Steamed Fermented Gram Flour Cake)
The recipe on this site, step by step.
High Protein Indian Vegetarian Breakfast: Reaching 20 g Before 10 a.m.
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Low-Calorie Indian Foods That Actually Keep You Full
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.