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Chole / chana masala vs Rajma curry
Gram for calorie, Chole / chana masala carries less protein per kcal than Rajma curry — 8.2 g protein for 181 kcal against 8 g for 161 kcal. For fat loss, where protein-per-calorie matters most, Rajma curry is the better lever. For muscle gain, where total protein grams matter more than the calorie cost, Chole / chana masala wins with 8.2 g against 8 g. On cost, Chole / chana masala is the cheaper way to hit a protein target — ₹24.4 per 20 g protein versus ₹25. Neither is "bad" — Chole / chana masala is a dal & legume item and Rajma curry is a dal & legume item, so the honest answer is usually "both, on different days," not a single winner.
Side by side
| Metric | Chole / chana masala | Rajma curry |
|---|---|---|
| Serving | 1 katori (40 g raw kabuli chana) | 1 katori (40 g raw rajma) |
| Calories | 181 | 161 |
| Protein g | 8.2 | 8 |
| Carbs g | 20.3 | 19.4 |
| Fat g | 7.4 | 5.7 |
| Cost per serving | ₹10 | ₹10 |
| Best for muscle gain | ✓ | |
| Best for fat loss | ✓ | |
| Best for budget | ✓ |
Questions people ask
- Which has more protein, Chole / chana masala or Rajma curry?
- Chole / chana masala has 8.2 g protein per serving; Rajma curry has 8 g. Chole / chana masala is ahead in absolute grams.
- Which is better for fat loss?
- Rajma curry carries more protein per calorie, which tends to help with satiety on a calorie deficit — but total daily calories still decide the outcome.
- Which is cheaper per gram of protein?
- Chole / chana masala is the cheaper source of protein between the two, at current Indian retail prices.