Protein in Rongi, Moth & Other Indian Beans
Most whole Indian beans (sabut dals like rongi, moth, rajma and lobia) contain roughly 22–24 g of protein per 100 g dry, which drops to about 7–9 g per 100 g once cooked because they soak up water. In practical terms, one katori (~150 g cooked) of these beans gives you approximately 10–13 g of protein — a solid, affordable contribution to your daily target.
- Rongi (black-eyed pea / lobia), moth (matki), rajma and chowli all sit around 22–24 g protein per 100 g dry — comparable to the dals you already cook.
- Cooked, that lands near 7–9 g per 100 g, or roughly 10–13 g in a standard katori (~150 g).
- Like most beans, they are low in the amino acid methionine — pairing with rice, roti or bajra rounds out the profile.
- ICMR-NIN suggests roughly 0.8–1 g protein per kg body weight daily, so a 60 kg adult needs about 48–60 g — hard to hit from beans alone.
- Beans are budget-friendly (often ₹120–₹180/kg) but bulky to eat in target quantities; a concentrated plant protein can close the gap.
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Why Indian Beans Deserve More Credit as a Protein Source
When Indians talk about vegetarian protein, the conversation usually stops at moong, chana and rajma. But the wider family of Indian beans — rongi (lobia / black-eyed pea), moth (matki), chowli, kulith (horse gram), val (field bean) and cowpea varieties — are quietly among the most protein-dense everyday foods in the Indian kitchen. They cost a fraction of paneer or nuts, store for months, and slot neatly into usal, chaat, curries and sprout bowls across the country.
The catch is the same one that trips people up with dal: the protein numbers you see quoted online are almost always for the dry, uncooked bean. Once you soak, boil or pressure-cook it, the bean absorbs two to three times its weight in water, so the protein per 100 g of what actually lands in your katori is much lower. Knowing both numbers is what lets you plan meals that genuinely meet your needs. If you want the bigger picture on this, our complete guide to plant protein in India is a good companion read.
Protein in Rongi, Moth and Other Indian Beans: The Numbers
The values below reflect well-established IFCT / ICMR-NIN-type figures for Indian foods and standard legume data. Dry weight means raw uncooked bean; cooked weight means after normal soaking and pressure-cooking without added cream or fat. Treat all figures as approximate — regional variety, cooking time and water ratio can shift them by 1–2 g either way.
| Bean | Protein (dry, per 100 g) | Protein (cooked, per 100 g) | Protein per katori (~150 g cooked) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rongi / Lobia (black-eyed pea, cowpea) | ~24 g | ~8 g | ~12 g |
| Moth bean (matki / dew gram) | ~23 g | ~7.5 g | ~11 g |
| Rajma (kidney beans) | ~23 g | ~8.5 g | ~13 g |
| Chowli / Chola (red cowpea) | ~24 g | ~8 g | ~12 g |
| Kulith (horse gram) | ~22 g | ~7.5 g | ~11 g |
| Kabuli / Kala chana (chickpea) | ~18–20 g | ~7 g | ~10.5 g |
| Val / Field bean (whole) | ~24 g | ~8 g | ~12 g |
Note: cooked values assume beans roughly triple in weight from water absorption. Sprouted beans (matki, lobia) have similar total protein to their raw form but improved digestibility.
A Closer Look at Rongi (Lobia / Black-Eyed Pea)
Rongi — known as lobia in the north, chowli/chawli in the west and bobbarlu in the south — is one of the most versatile Indian beans. At around 24 g of protein per 100 g dry, it is on par with the best whole dals, and it happens to be lower in fat and rich in folate and fibre. A typical lobia curry katori delivers roughly 12 g of protein, and because rongi cooks relatively quickly and digests more easily than rajma, it is a practical everyday choice for families and older adults.
A Closer Look at Moth Bean (Matki)
Moth bean, or matki, is the tiny brown bean at the heart of Maharashtra's misal pav and countless sprout chaats. Dry, it carries about 23 g of protein per 100 g. Its real advantage is that it sprouts easily: sprouted matki is a genuinely high-value snack because sprouting reduces antinutrients like phytic acid and improves how well your body absorbs the protein and minerals. A generous bowl of matki usal or sprouted-moth chaat is one of the more protein-dense street-food-style options you can make at home.
Are Indian Beans a Complete Protein?
On their own, no. Like almost all legumes, Indian beans are rich in the amino acid lysine but relatively low in methionine, one of the nine essential amino acids the body cannot make. Cereals — rice, wheat roti, bajra, jowar — have the mirror-image profile: higher in methionine, lower in lysine. This is exactly why the traditional Indian plate of rajma-chawal, lobia with roti, or matki usal with pav is more nutritionally complete than either food eaten alone. You do not need to combine them in the same bite; the same meal, or even the same day, does the job. Our overview of whole-body nutrition explains why amino-acid balance matters beyond just protein quantity.
How Much Do You Need to Eat to Hit Your Daily Target?
ICMR-NIN's recommended dietary allowance for protein is approximately 0.8–1 g per kg of body weight per day for most sedentary to moderately active Indian adults, with active people often advised to aim higher. For a 60 kg adult:
- Everyday target: roughly 48–60 g of protein per day
- Active / fitness goal: often 72–96 g per day
At about 10–13 g of protein per katori of cooked beans, you would need four to six katoris a day just to approach 48–60 g from beans alone — far more than most people eat, and a lot of fibre and volume for the digestive system to handle in one day. That gap, across a largely vegetarian population, is a big reason protein inadequacy is common in India despite beans and dals being staples. It is not that Indian beans are weak; it is that eating enough of them, every single day, is genuinely hard.
Practical Ways to Get More Protein from Indian Beans
- Cook them thicker: a dense rajma or lobia curry (1:3 bean-to-water) holds more protein per katori than a watery, restaurant-style gravy.
- Sprout the small beans: matki and lobia sprout beautifully — better digestibility and a ready-to-eat protein snack.
- Pair with a cereal every time: rice, roti, bajra or jowar completes the amino-acid profile.
- Mix bean varieties: a mixed-bean usal or salad combines slightly different profiles and keeps meals interesting.
- Add curd or a little paneer: a katori of curd (~3–4 g protein) or a small paneer topping (paneer is ~18–20 g/100 g) rounds out both quantity and amino acids.
When Beans Alone Are Not Enough
Indian beans are nutritious, affordable and worth eating daily — but if you are active, managing weight, building muscle, or simply too busy to cook and eat four-plus katoris a day, a concentrated plant protein can fill the gap without replacing real food. A pea + brown-rice protein blend mirrors the same complementary logic as beans + rice, just in a compact, convenient form. If you are weighing your options, our guides on how to choose a plant protein in India and the best plant protein in India are useful starting points.
KABO's Butter Coffee shake provides 23.11 g of complete plant protein per 54 g serving from a pea and brown-rice blend — the same complementary pairing that makes rajma-chawal work, just more concentrated. It also adds 60+ superfoods, 26 vitamins and minerals (including biotin, B12, vitamin D, iron and zinc), 8 billion CFU probiotics and digestive enzymes, and it is dairy-free, lactose-free and FSSAI-licensed. It is not a substitute for a good bean-based thali — it is what closes the gap on days your meals cannot. Before major dietary changes, especially if you manage a condition such as diabetes, PCOS or kidney disease, it is best to check with a doctor or registered dietitian.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein is in rongi (lobia)?
Rongi, also called lobia or black-eyed pea, contains approximately 24 g of protein per 100 g dry. Once cooked, that works out to roughly 8 g per 100 g, or about 12 g in a standard katori (~150 g) of lobia curry, because the bean absorbs water during cooking.
Which Indian bean has the most protein?
On a dry-weight basis, rongi (lobia), chowli, val and rajma are among the highest whole Indian beans at roughly 23–24 g per 100 g. Per cooked katori, rajma tends to lead at around 13 g because it stays relatively dense after cooking. Differences between the top beans are small, so variety and digestibility matter more than chasing the single highest number.
How much protein is in one katori of moth (matki)?
One katori (~150 g) of cooked moth bean (matki) provides approximately 11 g of protein. Sprouted matki has similar total protein but is easier to digest and absorb, which makes matki usal or sprouted-moth chaat a genuinely good high-protein snack.
Are Indian beans a complete protein?
No single Indian bean is complete on its own — they are low in methionine. But pairing them with a cereal such as rice, roti, bajra or jowar creates a complete amino-acid profile. Traditional combinations like rajma-chawal or lobia with roti already do this, and eating them within the same day is enough.
Can I meet my daily protein needs from beans alone?
It is difficult in practice. A 60 kg moderately active adult needs roughly 48–60 g of protein per day, and at about 10–13 g per cooked katori you would need four to six katoris of beans daily from this source alone. Most people eat far less, so combining beans with other protein foods — or a concentrated plant protein — is usually more realistic.
Indian beans like rongi and moth are some of the most underrated proteins in the kitchen — affordable, versatile and genuinely nutritious. But meeting your full daily target takes more than a katori or two. KABO's Butter Coffee shake is built on the same complementary plant-protein logic as beans + rice, with 23.11 g of complete protein per serving alongside 60+ superfoods and 26 vitamins and minerals. Explore KABO and see if it fits your routine.