Breakfast and tiffin
Calories in Stuffed Moong Dal Chilla
One stuffed moong dal chilla has about 352 kcal, with 15.9 g of protein, 44.2 g of carbohydrate and 11.6 g of fat. The figure is from the Indian Nutrient Databank and describes a large chilla made from 50 g of moong dal, filled with 65 g of potato and cooked in 10 g of oil. A plain one is lighter.
Nutrition in 1 stuffed moong dal chilla
| Nutrient | 1 stuffed moong dal chilla | 2 stuffed moong dal chillas |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 352 kcal | 704 kcal |
| Protein | 15.9 g | 31.8 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 44.2 g | 88.4 g |
| Total fat | 11.6 g | 23.2 g |
| Dietary fibre | 9.7 g | 19.4 g |
| Sugars | 2.5 g | 5 g |
Of this energy, about 51% comes from carbohydrate, 30% from fat and 18% from protein.
1 stuffed moong dal chilla is about 17% of the daily energy requirement of a sedentary adult man and 21% 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
This is not the thin, plain chilla many people picture. The recipe grinds 50 g of moong with 5 g of urad dal into batter for a single chilla, fills it with 65 g of potato and 25 g of onion, and uses 10 g of oil. The result is one substantial stuffed chilla, close to a meal in itself. A plain chilla poured from a smaller ladle of batter, with no potato inside, carries a good deal less, so the 352 kcal should be read as the figure for the filled version only.
Carbohydrate supplies 51% of the energy, fat 30% and protein 18%. The dal is the reason this chilla has 15.9 g of protein and 9.7 g of fibre, both high for a breakfast dish. The potato filling adds starch and bulk but little protein. The oil accounts for most of the fat. Of the three, the oil is the easiest to change without altering what the dish is, since the dal is the whole point of a moong dal chilla.
What goes into one serving
The recipe INDB analysed makes 1 chilla. These are its main ingredients; spices, salt and water are left out.
| Ingredient | In the recipe | In 1 stuffed moong dal chilla |
|---|---|---|
| Black gram (urad) | 5 g | 5 g |
| Green gram (moong) | 50 g | 50 g |
| Potato | 65 g | 65 g |
| Coriander leaves | 10 g | 10 g |
| Onion | 25 g | 25 g |
| Lemon | 8 g | 8 g |
| Oil | 10 g | 10 g |
What changes the number
- 01
Stuffed or plain
The potato and onion filling is what separates this chilla from a plain one. Leave it out and the chilla is smaller and lower in starch, with the dal's protein untouched. Swap the potato for paneer and the protein rises, along with the fat.
- 02
Oil on the tawa
The recipe uses 10 g of oil for one chilla. Each extra teaspoon adds about 44 kcal, taking the chilla to about 396 kcal, and a teaspoon of ghee spread on top brings it to about 397 kcal. Cooking it with less oil on a non-stick tawa is the simplest saving.
- 03
How much dal is in the batter
A single chilla here is made from 50 g of moong and 5 g of urad. Spread the same batter and filling into two thinner chillas and each one is half the size; half of this stuffed chilla is about 176 kcal.
- 04
Chutney, curd and butter
Green chutney adds very little. Butter melted over a hot chilla, or a sweet tamarind chutney, adds fat or sugar that is not part of the 352 kcal. Plain curd on the side adds protein for a modest number of calories.
How stuffed moong dal chilla 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
One stuffed chilla is about 17% of a sedentary man's daily energy requirement and 21% of a woman's, which is the size of a proper meal, and it is the heaviest of the 22 breakfast dishes in this set. Unlike most of the others it arrives with its protein and fibre built in: 15.9 g and 9.7 g. One is enough for most people in the morning. Two stuffed chillas come to 704 kcal, which is more than most people need at breakfast.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Cook it on a non-stick tawa with half the oil the recipe uses.
- Leave out the potato filling, or replace it with grated vegetables or a little paneer.
- Split the batter into two thinner chillas and eat one of them with curd.
- Serve it with green chutney in place of butter or sweet chutney.
Before you rely on the number
Salt is the thing to notice here: it goes into both the batter and the potato filling, so one stuffed chilla can be a salty breakfast item. Chutney and pickle add more. Anyone asked to limit salt for blood pressure, or to limit pulses for kidney disease, should follow the portions set by their doctor or dietitian. For everyone else, going easy on the salt in the potato filling is a reasonable habit.
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.
Stuffed Moong Dal Chilla: common questions
How much protein is in a moong dal chilla?
The stuffed chilla in this recipe has about 15.9 g of protein, nearly all of it from the 50 g of moong and 5 g of urad dal in the batter. Protein supplies 18% of its energy. A smaller plain chilla has less in total simply because it holds less dal.
Is moong dal chilla good for weight loss?
It is filling for its calories, thanks to 15.9 g of protein and 9.7 g of fibre, but at 352 kcal the stuffed version is a full meal and not a snack. One chilla with curd works well as breakfast; going lighter means less oil and no potato. Results depend on total intake over days and weeks, never on one dish.
Why is this moong dal chilla so much higher than a besan chilla?
Because the two servings are very different sizes. The besan chilla in this set is a small, plain one with 71 kcal and 4.1 g of protein. This one uses 50 g of dal, a potato filling and 10 g of oil, and comes to 352 kcal. For the same amount of pulse the two would be far closer than the per-piece figures suggest.
How many calories are in 2 stuffed moong dal chillas?
Two come to about 704 kcal, with 31.8 g of protein, 88.4 g of carbohydrate and 23.2 g of fat. That is a heavy meal. If one chilla does not feel like enough, a bowl of curd or a glass of buttermilk beside it adds protein for far fewer calories than a second chilla.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Moong Dal Cheela (Sprouted Yellow Lentil Pancake)
The recipe on this site, step by step.
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.
Potato: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Coriander leaves: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
High Protein Indian Vegetarian Breakfast: Reaching 20 g Before 10 a.m.
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
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The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
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