Regional cuisines · 3 varieties featured
Malabar dishes
Dishes from Kerala's Malabar coast, such as Thalassery biryani, Malabar chicken curry and Malabar parotta, often cooked with coconut, coconut oil and ghee. Compare each variety's weight-management rating, calories per serving and where to find it
The short answer
Across the 3 varieties of Malabar dishes we compare, a serving has about 284 to 867 kcal: Malabar parotta is the lightest (about 284 kcal for 1 parotta, about 80 g) and Thalassery biryani (chicken) the heaviest (about 867 kcal for 1 plate, about 470 g). For weight management, Malabar chicken curry rates highest (2.5/5, moderate fit), judged on calories per gram, protein and fibre for the calories, and the size of a regular serving.
Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 6 Nov 2026 · How we review
Average weight-management rating
Average of the 3 varieties, rounded to the nearest half star. Varieties range from 1.0 to 2.5.
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- Calories per serving
- 284 to 867 kcal
- Best for weight management
- Malabar chicken curry · 2.5/5
- Lightest
- Malabar parotta · 284 kcal
- Varieties compared
- 3
How many calories are in Malabar dishes?
| Variety | Serving | Calories | For weight management |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malabar parotta1 parotta (about 80 g) | 1 parotta (about 80 g) | 284 kcal | 1.0/5 · Poor fit |
| Malabar chicken curry1 katori (about 210 g) | 1 katori (about 210 g) | 392 kcal | 2.5/5 · Moderate fit |
| Thalassery biryani (chicken)1 plate (about 470 g) | 1 plate (about 470 g) | 867 kcal | 2.0/5 · Limited fit |
Which Malabar dish is best for weight management?
2.5 / 5Rated 2.5 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight managementHow this is worked out
- Calories per gram (35%)
- 1.86 kcal · 63/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25%)
- 7.1 g · 71/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20%)
- 0.8 g · 27/100
- Portion (20%)
- 392 of 200 kcal (side dish) · 0/100
- Per 100 g
- 186.5 kcal · P 13.3 g · C 3.4 g · F 13.4 g
Score 45.2 of 100 = 2.5 stars. Calculated from a standard recipe using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values. Source: Recipe: Sanjeev Kapoor, Malabar Chicken Curry, 2017.
Find near you392 kcal
1 katori (about 210 g)
About 1 hr 15 min of brisk walking uses similar energy
2.0 / 5Rated 2 out of 5. Limited fit for weight managementHow this is worked out
- Calories per gram (35%)
- 1.84 kcal · 63/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25%)
- 3.7 g · 37/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20%)
- 0.7 g · 22/100
- Portion (20%)
- 867 of 550 kcal (main meal) · 0/100
- Per 100 g
- 184.4 kcal · P 6.8 g · C 19.9 g · F 8.5 g
Score 35.8 of 100 = 2.0 stars. Calculated from a standard recipe using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values. Source: Recipe: Swasthi's Recipes, Thalassery biryani (Malabar biriyani), 2017.
Find near you867 kcal
1 plate (about 470 g)
About 2 hr 45 min of brisk walking uses similar energy
1.0 / 5Rated 1 out of 5. Poor fit for weight managementHow this is worked out
- Calories per gram (35%)
- 3.55 kcal · 13/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25%)
- 1.8 g · 18/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20%)
- 0.5 g · 18/100
- Portion (20%)
- 284 of 250 kcal (bread) · 36/100
- Per 100 g
- 355.3 kcal · P 6.4 g · C 47.5 g · F 15.4 g
Score 19.9 of 100 = 1.0 stars. Calculated from a standard recipe using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values. Source: Recipe: Hebbar's Kitchen, Parotta (Kerala paratha, Malabar paratha), 2017.
Find near you284 kcal
1 parotta (about 80 g)
About 55 min of brisk walking uses similar energy
Walking times are for a 70 kg adult at a brisk pace (about 5.6 km/h). Enter your weight in How much should I eat? to make them yours.
Walking energy: Compendium of Physical Activities, 2011. Calories are estimates; restaurant portions vary. Ratings scored on 2026-11-03.
Are Malabar dishes good for weight management?
On average, the 3 varieties of Malabar dishes we compare rate 2.0/5 (limited fit) for weight management, but they differ a lot. Malabar chicken curry is the better everyday choice; Malabar parotta (1.0/5, poor fit) is better kept to a smaller portion or an occasional meal. Adding vegetables, dal or curd on the side and keeping to one serving matters as much as which variety you pick.
Common questions about Malabar dishes
How many calories are in Malabar dishes?
About 284 to 867 kcal per serving, depending on the variety. Malabar parotta is the lightest and Thalassery biryani (chicken) the heaviest.
Which Malabar dish has the fewest calories?
Malabar parotta, with about 284 kcal for 1 parotta, about 80 g.
Which Malabar dish is best for weight management?
Malabar chicken curry rates highest at 2.5/5, moderate fit. Ratings combine calories per gram, protein and fibre per 100 kcal, and the size of a regular serving, each scored against fixed limits.
How much walking uses the energy in a serving of Malabar dish?
For a 70 kg adult walking briskly, about 55 min for Malabar parotta and 2 hr 45 min for Thalassery biryani (chicken).
Is Malabar food heavy?
Many Malabar dishes use ghee, coconut and maida, so servings are rich. Choosing curries with chicken or fish and eating them with appam or rice instead of parotta helps.
What is Thalassery biryani made with?
Short-grain kaima (jeerakasala) rice, mildly spiced chicken or mutton, fried onions, cashews and raisins.
About these ratings
Each rating combines four things, each scored from 0 to 100 against fixed limits: calories per gram (35%), protein per 100 kcal (25%), fibre per 100 kcal (20%), and the size of a regular serving compared with what that kind of dish should provide in a meal (20%). More than 15 g of added sugar in a serving caps the rating at 2 stars. A higher rating does not mean a dish causes weight loss. See the methodology for the formula.