One plain tosai (thosai) has about 147 calories and one capati (chapati) has about 300 calories, based on the Malaysian Food Composition Database (MyFCD) from the Ministry of Health's Institute for Medical Research. A tosai telur comes to about 445 calories. With half a cup of dhal, a plain tosai is about 205 calories, and a capati with kuah kacang hijau is about 376. Below you will find the full numbers (kalori tosai and kalori capati), how they compare with roti canai, and simple ways to order a lighter plate at the mamak or Indian restaurant.
How many calories are in tosai and chapati?
Values are calculated from the Malaysian Food Composition Database (1997) using its standard portions.
Tosai is made from a fermented batter of rice and black gram (urad dal), cooked thin with little oil, which is why a plain piece is light. Capati is an unleavened flatbread made from atta (wheat) flour; the MyFCD piece is a large 100 g one, and its fat comes from the oil or ghee used in the dough and on the pan.
Calories for common orders
- 1 tosai + 1/2 cup dhal: about 205 kcal
- 2 tosai + 1/2 cup dhal: about 352 kcal
- Rawa tosai + 1/2 cup dhal: about 263 kcal
- Tosai telur + 1/2 cup dhal: about 503 kcal
- 1 capati + 1/2 cup kuah kacang hijau: about 376 kcal
- 2 capati + 1/2 cup kuah kacang hijau: about 676 kcal
- 1 capati + 1 piece chicken curry: about 495 kcal
- 1 capati + kuah kacang hijau + 1 piece chicken curry: about 571 kcal
MyFCD has no entries for ghee tosai, masala tosai, sambar or coconut chutney. As a rough guide, every tablespoon of ghee brushed on adds about 112 kcal, so a ghee tosai cooked with one tablespoon would be around 260 kcal. Masala tosai adds a spiced potato filling, and coconut chutney adds fat from the coconut, so both will push the total higher than a plain tosai.
Tosai vs chapati vs roti canai
The surprise for many people is that one MyFCD capati has about the same calories as one roti canai. The difference is in the details: capati has more protein, a little less fat and only a fraction of the sodium. A plain tosai has about half the calories of either. See our roti canai calories guide for roti telur, planta and the rest of the mamak menu.
For a wider view of Malaysian meals: a plate of chicken rice is about 476 kcal and nasi lemak biasa about 645 kcal. See our chicken rice calories and nasi lemak calories breakdowns.
Are tosai and chapati healthy?
Both can be part of a balanced diet. A few things to keep in mind:
- Plain tosai is the lightest choice at about 147 kcal and 2 g of fat, but it is low in protein. Add dhal, an egg or a protein side to make it a more filling meal.
- Tosai telur is a different meal. At about 445 kcal and 23 g of fat, it has roughly three times the calories of a plain tosai.
- Capati is not automatically "diet food". It is low in sodium and has more protein than roti canai, but one large piece is about 300 kcal. Portion size and how much ghee is used matter most.
- Watch the sides. Dhal and kuah kacang add little in calories but quite a lot of sodium (about 350 to 540 mg per half cup). The World Health Organization recommends that adults have less than 2,000 mg of sodium a day.
How to order a lighter plate
- Choose a plain tosai over tosai telur, ghee tosai or masala tosai if you are watching calories.
- Keep to one capati, and ask for it without extra ghee on top.
- Pick dhal or kuah kacang over rich curries, and take a small portion of the gravy rather than flooding the plate.
- Add protein, such as an egg on the side or a piece of chicken (ideally not deep fried), so the meal keeps you full longer.
- Choose an unsweetened drink. A teh tarik adds roughly 125 to 190 kcal; our guide to Malaysian drinks for weight loss compares the options.
Looking for more filling options? See our list of protein foods for weight loss in Malaysia. On busy mornings, Drann's Chocolate Meal Replacement Shake has 116 kcal and 12 g of protein per sachet with water; our meal replacement guide explains how to use one well.
A note on these numbers
The figures come from the Malaysian Food Composition Database (1997), which lists nutrients per 100 g along with standard portions; we multiplied the per-100 g values by those portions. MyFCD has two plain tosai entries, an 80 g piece (184 kcal per 100 g) and a larger 132 g piece from its ready-to-eat meals study (117 kcal per 100 g); both come to about 150 kcal per piece. Its capati weighs 100 g, which is larger than many restaurant or homemade pieces, so a thinner 60 g capati would be closer to 180 kcal. Real portions vary with size, oil and ghee, so treat these as good estimates rather than exact counts.
Looking for other dishes? See our full Malaysian food calories list covering 40+ hawker dishes, kuih and drinks.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How many calories are in one tosai?
About 147 kcal for one plain tosai (thosai) of 80 g, based on the Malaysian Food Composition Database. A larger 132 g piece comes to about 154 kcal.
How many calories are in a tosai telur?
About 445 kcal for one 195 g tosai telur (tosai with egg), with about 13 g of protein and 23 g of fat, based on the Malaysian Food Composition Database.
How many calories are in one chapati?
About 300 kcal for one 100 g capati (chapati), based on the Malaysian Food Composition Database. That works out to about 3 kcal per gram, so a smaller, thinner piece has proportionally fewer calories.
Which has fewer calories: tosai, chapati or roti canai?
A plain tosai has the fewest, at about 147 kcal. One capati (about 300 kcal) and one roti canai (about 301 kcal) are similar in calories, but capati has far less sodium (about 25 mg versus 509 mg) and less fat.
Is chapati healthy for weight loss?
It can fit a weight loss plan. Capati is low in sodium and gives about 9 g of protein per piece, but it is not low in calories, so keep to one piece, ask for little or no ghee, and pair it with dhal or vegetables rather than rich curries.
How many calories are in capati with kuah kacang?
About 376 kcal: roughly 300 kcal for one capati plus about 76 kcal for half a cup of kuah kacang hijau (green gram gravy).
References
- Dosai — Malaysian Food Composition Database (1997), Institute for Medical Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia
- Dosai and dosai with egg, ready-to-eat meals — Malaysian Food Composition Database (1997)
- Rawa dosai — Malaysian Food Composition Database (1997)
- Capati and green gram gravy served with capati — Malaysian Food Composition Database (1997)
- Yellow dhal gravy — Malaysian Food Composition Database (1997)
- Chicken curry and mutton curry — Malaysian Food Composition Database (1997)
- Ghee — Malaysian Food Composition Database (1997)
- Roti canai — Malaysian Food Composition Database (1997)
- Sodium reduction — World Health Organization
