Most recipes on this site measure in cups, tablespoons and teaspoons, with grams for a few ingredients. This guide explains what those measures hold, how they differ from a katori, and how to convert a cup into grams if you prefer to weigh.
The short answer
Use a measuring cup and spoon set, and level off dry ingredients.
- 1 teaspoon (tsp) = 5 ml
- 1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 15 ml = 3 teaspoons
- 1 cup = 240 ml (US cup) or 250 ml (metric cup)
- A katori is a bowl, not a measure. Its size varies from home to home.
Spoons and cups in ml
| Measure | Holds | Also equals |
|---|---|---|
| ¼ teaspoon | 1.25 ml | |
| ½ teaspoon | 2.5 ml | |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml | 3 teaspoons |
| ¼ cup | 60 ml (US) / 62.5 ml (metric) | 4 tablespoons |
| ⅓ cup | 80 ml (US) / 83 ml (metric) | |
| ½ cup | 120 ml (US) / 125 ml (metric) | 8 tablespoons |
| 1 cup | 240 ml (US) / 250 ml (metric) | 16 tablespoons |
The difference between a US and a metric cup is small, about 10 ml per cup. It matters most in baking and sweets, so use the same cup for every ingredient in a recipe.
Why a katori is not a cup
A katori is the small bowl a dal or sabzi is served in. There is no standard katori size, so two katoris from two kitchens can hold quite different amounts. When a family recipe says “1 katori”, measure your katori once: fill it with water and pour it into a measuring jug. Then you can use that number every time.
Cup to grams for common ingredients
Weights depend on the ingredient and on how firmly the cup is filled. The figures below are from King Arthur Baking’s ingredient weight chart, which uses a US cup and spoons ingredients into the cup before levelling them off.
| Ingredient | 1 cup weighs about |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour (maida) | 120 g |
| Semolina (sooji or rava) | 163 g |
| Rice flour | 142 g |
| Gram flour (besan) | 85 g |
| Long grain rice, uncooked | 198 g |
| Granulated sugar | 198 g |
| Powdered sugar | 113 g |
| Brown sugar, packed | 213 g |
| Desiccated coconut | 85 g |
| Peanuts | 142 g |
| Almonds | 142 g |
| Cashews | 113 g |
| Raisins | 149 g |
| Sesame seeds | 142 g |
| Milk powder | 100 g |
| Milk | 227 g |
| Vegetable oil | 198 g |
| Butter | 227 g |
Water is the easy one: 1 ml of water weighs 1 gram, so a 240 ml cup of water weighs 240 g.
Measuring tips
- Spoon flour, besan and sooji into the cup and level the top with a knife. Scooping straight from the bag packs it down and adds weight.
- Pack brown sugar and jaggery powder firmly only when a recipe says packed.
- Measure liquids at eye level in a clear measuring jug.
- For spoons, a level spoon is the standard. A heaped spoon can hold much more.
Put it to use
Try the measures on a simple recipe with few ingredients, such as Sukhdi (1 cup wheat flour, ¾ cup ghee, ¾ cup jaggery) or Til Chikki (1 cup sesame seeds, ¾ cup jaggery, 1 tbsp ghee).
FAQs
How many ml is 1 cup?
A metric cup is 250 ml and a US cup is about 240 ml (236.6 ml exactly). Measuring cup sets differ, so check the ml marking on yours.
How many ml is a tablespoon and a teaspoon?
A tablespoon is 15 ml and a teaspoon is 5 ml, so 3 teaspoons make 1 tablespoon.
Is a katori the same as a cup?
No. A katori is a serving bowl with no fixed size, so it can hold more or less than a measuring cup. If a family recipe uses katoris, fill yours with water and pour it into a measuring jug once to find its size.
How many grams is 1 cup of maida?
About 120 grams of all-purpose flour (maida) fills 1 cup, according to King Arthur Baking’s ingredient weight chart. The weight changes with how firmly the cup is packed.
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