Dals and legume curries
Calories in Mixed Dal
One bowl of mixed dal has about 184 kcal, with 7.5 g of protein, 17.3 g of carbohydrate and 9.2 g of fat. The Indian Nutrient Databank recipe combines 10 g each of chana, urad and moong dal and cooks them with 2 teaspoons of oil. Mixing dals changes the taste far more than it changes the calories.
Nutrition in 1 bowl of mixed dal
| Nutrient | 1 bowl of mixed dal | 2 bowls of mixed dal |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 184 kcal | 368 kcal |
| Protein | 7.5 g | 15 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 17.3 g | 34.6 g |
| Total fat | 9.2 g | 18.4 g |
| Dietary fibre | 4.8 g | 9.6 g |
| Sugars | 1 g | 2 g |
Of this energy, about 38% comes from carbohydrate, 45% from fat and 16% from protein.
1 bowl of mixed dal is about 9% of the daily energy requirement of a sedentary adult man and 11% 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
Many homes cook two or three dals together for a rounder taste and texture. The recipe behind this number does exactly that: 10 g of chana dal, 10 g of urad dal and 10 g of moong dal for one bowl, with 10 g of onion, 2 teaspoons of oil and nothing else but spices and salt. The total dry dal is no more than a single-dal bowl would use, so this is an ordinary helping, not a large one. It is eighth from the lightest of the 20 dals and pulse curries listed with it.
Fat is the biggest contributor at 45% of the energy, with carbohydrate at 38% and protein at 16%. Three lean pulses cannot produce that much fat between them; the 9.2 g in the bowl is almost entirely the oil. Whichever dals go into the mix, the pulses bring broadly the same energy weight for weight, which is why sabut moong dal and sabut masoor dal sit right beside this bowl at 184 kcal and 185 kcal. The fat used to cook them is what separates one dal from another.
What goes into one serving
The recipe INDB analysed makes 1 bowl. These are its main ingredients; spices, salt and water are left out.
| Ingredient | In the recipe | In 1 bowl of mixed dal |
|---|---|---|
| Bengal gram (chana) | 10 g | 10 g |
| Black gram (urad) | 10 g | 10 g |
| Green gram (moong) | 10 g | 10 g |
| Onion | 10 g | 10 g |
| Oil | 2 tsp | 2 tsp |
What changes the number
- 01
Oil for the tadka
The bowl includes 2 teaspoons of oil, each worth about 44 kcal. One teaspoon is enough to bloom jeera, garlic and chilli for a single helping. Add a teaspoon of ghee at the table and the mixed dal goes to about 229 kcal; add two and it reaches about 274 kcal.
- 02
Which dals are in the mix
Swapping toor for chana, or masoor for urad, barely moves the calories, because dry pulses are close to one another in energy. Choose the mix for taste and cooking time. Whole pulses in place of split ones add fibre.
- 03
The ratio of dal to water
Chana dal stays grainy while moong and urad break down, so mixed dal is usually medium thick. A katori from a thinner pot holds less dal and fewer calories, and a katori from a thick one holds more.
- 04
Not the same as panchmel dal
Panchmel dal, the five-dal dish of Rajasthan, comes to 335 kcal a portion in the same data, because that recipe uses more dal and a good deal of ghee. A simple home mixed dal is a much lighter thing.
How mixed dal 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rasam | 1 bowl of rasam | 104 | 4.4 |
| Moong Dal | 1 bowl of moong dal | 139 | 7.4 |
| Kala Chana Curry | 1 bowl of kala chana curry | 169 | 6.8 |
| Rajma | 1 bowl of rajma | 172 | 7.1 |
| Lobia Curry | 1 bowl of lobia curry | 179 | 7.3 |
| Urad Dal | 1 bowl of urad dal | 182 | 7.4 |
| Mixed Dal | 1 bowl of mixed dal | 184 | 7.5 |
| Sabut Moong Dal | 1 bowl of sabut moong dal | 184 | 7.7 |
| Sabut Masoor Dal | 1 bowl of sabut masoor dal | 185 | 7.8 |
| Chole | 1 bowl of chole | 196 | 7.3 |
| Soyabean Curry | 1 bowl of soyabean curry | 196 | 12.5 |
| Kulthi Dal | 1 bowl of kulthi dal | 201 | 10.5 |
| Lauki Chana Dal | 1 bowl of lauki chana dal | 204 | 7.8 |
| Dal Palak | 1 bowl of dal palak | 213 | 8.3 |
| Dal Dhokli | 1 bowl of dal dhokli | 231 | 10 |
| Sambar | 1 bowl of sambar | 249 | 8.6 |
| Dal Makhani | 1 bowl of dal makhani | 262 | 11.7 |
| Chana Dal | 1 bowl of chana dal | 291 | 12.1 |
| Dalma | 1 bowl of dalma | 314 | 12.9 |
| Panchmel Dal | 1 bowl of panchmel dal | 335 | 13.9 |
In a meal and in a day
One bowl of mixed dal is roughly 9% of a sedentary man's daily energy requirement and 11% of a woman's. Two bowls come to 368 kcal and 15 g of protein; three come to 552 kcal and 22.5 g. The bowl has 4.8 g of fibre. Like any dal, mixed dal does its best work next to a cereal: the protein in rice or roti and the protein in pulses complement each other, so the plate as a whole is better than its parts.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Halve the oil to one teaspoon; three dals give enough body that the bowl does not taste thin.
- Include at least one whole pulse, such as sabut moong or whole masoor, for more fibre in the same bowl.
- Add tomato, lauki or spinach to the pot to stretch each helping of mixed dal.
- Take half a bowl more of dal, about 92 kcal, in place of an extra roti when the meal needs protein.
Before you rely on the number
Because mixed dal is forgiving, it is also a dish where the tadka grows without anyone measuring: a ladle of oil for the family pot is easy to pour and hard to see afterwards. People managing kidney disease or high uric acid, who are sometimes told to limit certain pulses, should check the mix and the amount with their doctor or dietitian.
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.
Mixed Dal: common questions
How much protein is in a bowl of mixed dal?
About 7.5 g, from 10 g each of chana, urad and moong dal. Two bowls give 15 g. Combining dals does not raise the protein much, since the pulses are similar; the amount of dal in the bowl is what decides it.
How many calories are in 2 bowls of mixed dal?
About 368 kcal, with 15 g of protein, 34.6 g of carbohydrate and 18.4 g of fat, for two bowls of the reference size. Half a bowl of mixed dal is about 92 kcal.
Is mixed dal better than a single dal?
Not in calories or protein: this bowl is 184 kcal with 7.5 g of protein, in line with a single-dal bowl such as urad dal at 182 kcal and 7.4 g. The case for mixing is taste, texture and variety across the week, which is a good enough reason.
Is mixed dal good for weight loss?
It can be. The pulses supply protein and fibre for a moderate 184 kcal, and 45% of that energy is fat from oil that can be reduced. Whether weight comes down depends on everything eaten in the day, so look at the rice, roti and fried sides as well as the mixed dal.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Bengal gram (chana): nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Black gram (urad): nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Green gram (moong): nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Onion: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Which Dal Has the Most Protein? Raw, Cooked and per Katori
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Vegetarian Protein Sources in India: Full Food List
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
The Balanced Indian Diet Plate: A Simple, Practical Guide
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.