Cindy’s Masala Week

Nutrition & notes

The week, measured

10 meals · 399g protein · £22.20 of ingredients

Weekly overview

Practical notes

Batch prep pays off

On Sunday, cook a larger batch of brown rice, chop several onions and peppers, wash and portion coriander, and prepare ginger-garlic paste for the next few days.

Rice safety

Cooked rice should be cooled quickly, refrigerated promptly and reheated thoroughly only once. Follow current UK food-safety guidance for storage times.

Paneer vs tofu

Paneer is useful for protein but is higher in saturated fat than tofu and pulses, so the plan deliberately rotates paneer with tofu, lentils, beans and chickpeas.

Measure the oil

If weight management is a goal, keep the measured oil quantities rather than pouring freely. The recipes get texture from tomatoes, pulses, yoghurt and vegetables rather than large amounts of oil, cream or butter.

Adjust the heat freely

Spice levels can be changed without materially affecting cost or nutrition. For lower heat, use paprika rather than hot chilli powder and reduce fresh chilli.

Estimates, not guarantees

Protein and cost figures are approximate. Brands, drained weights, vegetable sizes and supermarket pricing vary.

Costing reference: estimates were prepared using representative UK supermarket prices available in August 2026 — red lentils ~£2/kg, chickpeas ~£0.41/tin, kidney beans ~£0.39/tin, brown rice ~£1.39/kg, frozen spinach ~£1.60/900g, frozen peas ~£2.50/1.6kg, wholemeal chapati flour ~£1.60/1.5kg, paneer ~£1.80/200g, extra-firm tofu ~£2.50/280g. Actual shelf prices change over time and by retailer. Actual checkout spend will be higher in week one because rice, flour, spices, oil and other ingredients are bought in full packs — the unused quantities carry forward.

Nutrition note: protein figures are planning estimates based mainly on the principal protein ingredients in each dish. They are intended for practical meal planning rather than medical or clinical nutrition use. Each recipe is one generous adult main-meal serving; the plan is lacto-vegetarian (no eggs) and uses modest added oil.

Cindy’s Masala Week — Indian Vegetarian High-Protein Meal Planner