I am thrilled to kick start the New Year with one of my favorite recipes, Bonda Soup. It is a famous appetizer served in Sagar/Darshini restaurants in Bangalore. If you are unfamiliar with this recipe, then loosely put Bonda a round deep fried snack is dunked in hot a lentil soup. Bonda is made of soaked urad daal referred to as Uddina Bonda(Kannada) has a crispy outer shell and soft, fluffy on the inside. Putting it in a simple way, Bonda is nothing but Medu Vada except that it has a round shape with no doughnut hole in the middle. Now this is served in a piping hot lentil soup, which is usually a thick daal, similar to this Daali thoy here.
This is served in many Bangalore traditional restaurants as an appetizer. Growing up in Bangalore, this used to be my top choice for appetizer especially during cold wintery days. My dad also used to like this and we used to share this, before we started the main course meal. There were some restaurants that served the Bondas along with Tomato rasam/sambhar. But I preferred the soup which was more like a simple daal tadka along with the crunchy vada.
This is a good one to offer to guest as a starter/appetizer, especially during cold weather. The soup can be prepared in so many different ways, but I like it this way and also prefer to have bite sized bondas, rather than those big ones available in restaurants.
Bonda/ Vada preparation:
- To prepare the Bondas please check the recipe here.
- If you are looking for low-fat alternatives then prepare the bondas in an Aebleskiver Pan as suggested here.
Ingredients for Daal/Soup
- 3/4 cup Toor daal
- 2-3 Green chillies
- Ginger grated
- Mustard seeds
- Turmeric
- Curry leaves
- handful Coriander leaves (chopped)
- juice of a lemon
- Salt, oil
Procedure:
- Pressure cook the daal along with turmeric, after it is cooked mash it and keep aside.
- Take a heavy bottom pan, add oil then mustard seeds, curry leaves.
- Then add the cooked daal, ginger, chopped chillies, Salt and Coriander leaves) boil it until it gets a soup like consistency. Add the juice of lemon and mix well.
- To serve: Take the prepared hot soup in a bowl and add the bondas. Serve hot!
I am craving for it and drooling over it.. looks so good..
I’m unfamiliar with it but it looks so darn good. I will have to try it. It looks similar to this indian appetizer that i love! Happy New Year!
Such a droolworthy dish, makes me hungry..
the title intrigued me. I’ve had this with rasam always, never with the soup. Must be really yum. Awesome pictures, but then on your blog, that is always the case 🙂
That sounds absolutely delicious 🙂
Sounds Innovative!
Gorgeous pictures Supriya, which is of course making me drool and want some of this equally gorgeous bowlful. Can we come over?
Happy New Year!!
I’ve never heard of this, fascinating! Happy New Year!
Yummy Supriya…..would love to have a bite……yum
My better fav! Looks gorgeous and u tempt me enough to make soon…
Happy New Year to you and Ur Dear ones 🙂
Great idea…Amma would soak up vadais in almost all gravies and they tasted great, soaking bondas in dhal gravy is new to me. Would love to try them.
A wonderful way to beat the chill! Happy New Year.
We usually soak them in snbhar, rasam and mor kuzhambhu.This recipe is new to me.Got to try out ..would make a wonderful starter..
Like Cilantro has mentioned we too used to soak leftover vadais in rasam and sambar and it was a great and tasty way to use it up.
Thanks Cilantro, Madhuram. Agree that the traditional way of serving bonda/vada is rasam/sambhar and with coconut chutney.
But this is different and this is one of the menu item in Bangalore restaurants. They serve simple daal tadka as the soup part. It tastes yummy too 🙂
What a wonderful treat for a winter evening!
I like the simple daal, in fact this is the first time I have seen a daal-bonda combo ( have heard of bonda- rasam / sambar)bt definately a must try.
Happy New Year!
mm…looks really good.
Bondas- yum, Dal- yum, put together even more yummy.This is indeed a wonderful idea to make us feel less guilty that we are having something deep fried 😉
I heard about this dish…nd had thought it was made of tender coconut(bonda)never knew it was this … good to kno
oh yes, I remember bonda soup. I love it. Thanks for the recipe. I can make it at home now. New year wish to u & ur family
Name sounds unique .I dunk the leftover vada or bhonda in sambar ,rasam ,curd .Different tist.Got to try it.
I came to know about this dish in office canteen and for a moment thought not bad we have South Indian version of soup. 🙂
Your pictures are nice, your version of soup is so nice and nutritious.
I cannot tell you how much I want to have that soup!Gosh!That is one of the best I have come across..Bookmarked!Wish you and your family a great year ahead!
Bonda soup is also my favourite. I used to have this in my office canteen for snacks..Your pictures look really good and tempting..
Now this one I have never tried. Looks wonderful
Dear Supriya, Wish U & your family a very Happy New Year & all the best for 2010.
Bonda soup looks delicious…when I make vadaas I usually make toor dal to go with it for dinner but never knew that it’s eaten this way in south.
Wow, this one is new to me too! Would love to try this. Perfect for the cold weather. Happy New Year!
Thayir vadai and Rasa vadai are common but Vadai in Dal tadka very novel. Will have to try it.
Hi Supriya,
I prepared this dish yestrday and my hubby n me v loved it.My hubby (frm Bangalore) used to always tell abt bonda soup but I had no clue what it tastes like…Finally I found ur blog and the recipe.Thanks so much.It ws delicious 🙂
Thanks so much Durga for letting me know. So glad you liked it.
Hi Supriya,
Was browsing through the recipes in your website when I came across to your recipe for Bonda Soup!! Its a all time fav dish of my husband’s 🙂 Now that we have moved to UK he’s been missing it for a while.. Now with the help of your recipe, I can make this and surprise him 🙂 Thanks a ton for the recipe!!!
Thanks Sri for commneting and letting me know. Glad you liked it!
hi you should add little coconut milk to dal to have more taste.Darshini in bangalore do this
That is a good idea. I did not know that.