Rice Meals

How Many Calories in Nasi Kandar?

Rice flooded with mixed curries and a fried lauk. The kuah banjir is the calorie bomb people never count.

950kcal / 1 plate (banjir + fried chicken)
A standard nasi kandar plate (rice with mixed curry flood and a piece of fried chicken) is around 950 calories. The oil-rich kuah banjir and the deep-fried chicken are where most of the calories hide, not the rice.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 plate (banjir + fried chicken) (450g)AmountPer 100g
Calories950 kcal211 kcal
Protein42 g9 g
Carbs95 g21 g
Fat42 g9 g

Where the calories come from

White rice250g
325 kcal
Curry flood (kuah banjir)120g
280 kcal
Fried chicken (berempah)110g
300 kcal
Papadom + sambal + acar30g
50 kcal

The real talk

Nasi kandar is the king of underestimated calories bro. People think it is just rice and curry. But that kuah banjir, the flood of mixed gravies poured over the rice, is loaded with oil. The gravy alone can be hundreds of calories. Add a piece of ayam goreng berempah, which is deep fried, and you are at around 950 calories for a plate that looks innocent.

And that is the standard plate. Start adding sotong, salted egg, extra lauk and a sweet drink, like most people do, and you blow past 1,300 calories easy. It is delicious and the protein is genuinely high, around 42g. Just respect what it is and do not eat it daily.

How the portions compare

650 kcal
Plain (rice + 1 gravy + 1 lauk)
950 kcal
Standard banjir + fried chicken
1400 kcal
Loaded (extra lauk + salted egg + drink)

How to eat it lighter

Common questions

How many calories in a nasi kandar plate?
A standard plate with curry flood and fried chicken is around 950 calories. A loaded plate with extra lauk can pass 1,300. The kuah banjir and fried lauk are the main calorie sources.
Why is nasi kandar so high in calories?
The kuah banjir, the flood of mixed curries poured over the rice, is rich in oil, and the popular lauk like ayam goreng are deep fried. The rice is actually the smaller part of the total.
How do I make nasi kandar lighter?
Ask for less kuah, choose a grilled or curried lauk instead of fried, and stick to one protein plus vegetables. That can cut a plate from 950 down toward 650.

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Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical hawker or kopitiam serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

New to all this? Read how I went from 128kg to 86kg without cutting rice →

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