Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Mysore Bonda
Mysore Bonda (Fried Spicy Onion Snacks)

Mysore Bonda

Fried Spicy Onion Snacks
Vegetarian●●●Origin KarnatakaPrep 15–20 minutes, plus soaking timeCook 20 minutes

Crisp South Indian fritters made with a fluffy urad dal batter studded with fresh coconut, green chilli, and chopped onion. They are delicately crisp on the outside and soft and spongy within.

Ingredients

01
Black gram · Urad Dalrinsed and drained
200 g
legume
02
Basmati rice · Basmati Chawalrinsed and drained
4 g1 teaspoon
grain
03
Onion · Pyazchopped
150 g1 onion
vegetable
04
Green chilli · Hari Mirchde-seeded and chopped
12 g2 chillies
vegetable
05
Fresh coconut · Taaza Nariyalgrated
350 g1 piece
fruit
06
Coriander leaf · Hara Dhaniachopped
to taste
herb
07
Vegetable oil · Telfor deep-frying
to taste
oil/fat
08
Salt · Namak
to taste
salt

Method

  1. Submerge 200 g urad dal and 4 g basmati rice in plenty of water and leave to soak for 3 hours.
  2. Drain the soaked dal and rice, transfer them to a food processor or blender, season with salt to taste, and grind into a thick, smooth batter.
  3. Fold in 150 g onion, 12 g green chilli, 350 g fresh coconut, and coriander leaf to taste, mixing thoroughly, then roll the batter into lemon-sized spheres.
  4. Pour vegetable oil into a kadhai or deep, heavy pan and heat to 180°C/350°F (a cube of bread dropped in should brown within 30 seconds), then reduce the heat to low.
  5. Fry the bondas in small batches for 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally until crisp and golden brown all over.
  6. Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and serve while hot.

Don't have something?

Urad dal
  • Whole black gram

    Use equal weight. Needs longer soaking and cooking; the dark skins impart an earthy flavour and greyish-black hue unless thoroughly rubbed off.

  • Chana dal

    Use equal weight when tempering (tadka). Provides a comparable nutty, crunchy texture in hot oil, though grains are slightly larger.

  • Split mung beans

    Use equal weight for batters or dals. Ferments and cooks faster, producing a lighter, less sticky, and less viscous consistency.

Basmati rice
  • Plain boiled rice

    Use 2.5 times the weight if substituting pre-cooked rice. Fold in gently at the end of the recipe; grains will be shorter and less fragrant.

Black peppercorn
  • Coarsely ground black pepper

    Use 75% of the weight. Add midway through simmering; spreads heat evenly through the dish instead of delivering isolated bursts.

  • Ground black pepper

    Use 50% of the weight. Stir in near the end of cooking; significantly darkens light gravies and provides an immediate, sharp bite.

Onion
  • Shallot

    Use equal weight, finely sliced. Shallots soften and brown faster, giving a slightly sweeter and more delicate base to curries.

  • Cabbage

    Use 80% of the weight, finely shredded and browned slowly with a pinch of asafoetida. Replicates the bulk and natural sweetness in gravies without allium.

Green chilli
  • Chilli powder

    Use 10 to 15% of the weight (about 1/4 teaspoon per chilli); imparts dry pungent heat and reddens the dish without the grassy crunch.

  • Dried red chilli

    Use 1 dried pod per fresh green chilli; snap in half and temper in hot oil for a deeper, toastier heat.

Fresh coconut
  • Desiccated coconut

    Use 50% to 60% of the weight, soaked in equal parts warm water for 15 minutes before grinding. Works well for chutneys, though texture is slightly finer and sweeter.

  • Coconut milk

    Use 1.2 times the weight in curries. Adds creamy richness and authentic flavour, but makes gravies smoother and eliminates the grated, chewy mouthfeel.

Coriander leaf
  • Coriander

    Use equal weight finely chopped; this is the exact same fresh herb.

  • Mint

    Use half the weight finely chopped; provides vibrant green freshness, though the flavour profile becomes noticeably cooler and sharper.

Vegetable oil
  • Peanut oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.

  • Ghee

    Use 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.

  • Mustard oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.

Similar dishes

Majjida Karhi
Dal & Buttermilk Curry
Majjida Karhi tastes tangy, silky, and mildly spiced from buttermilk and lime, while this dish is crisp, rich, and savoury.
  • Same: Majjida Karhi shares the use of urad dal, basmati rice, fresh coconut, onion, green chilli, and coriander leaf cooked with vegetable oil.
  • Different: Majjida Karhi is a simmered buttermilk curry seasoned with mustard seeds, ginger, turmeric, and dried red chillies, whereas this dish is a deep-fried fritter made from a heavy urad dal batter.
Uppu Vada
Sesame Seed & Coconut Balls
Uppu Vada has a rich, nutty sesame flavor rather than the sharp, herbal heat provided by the green chilli and onion in this dish.
  • Same: Both snacks are deep-fried in vegetable oil using an urad dal base seasoned with fresh coconut and salt.
  • Different: Uppu Vada incorporates sesame seeds, butter, and asafoetida, but omits the fresh onion, green chilli, coriander leaf, and rice used in this dish.
Dakshini Hari Chutney
Southern Green Chutney
Dakshini Hari Chutney tastes tangy from lemon and raw mango and herby from curry leaves, unlike this dish's savory fried onion-and-coconut flavor.
  • Same: Dakshini Hari Chutney shares a South Indian profile and fresh coconut with this dish, and both use coriander leaf and chilli heat.
  • Different: It is a ground curry-leaf and coconut chutney with sesame, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, raw mango, and a chana dal tempering, while this dish is a fried urad dal and rice batter snack with onion and green chilli.
Pyaz ki Chutney
Onion Chutney
Pyaz ki Chutney tastes pungent, sharp, and deeply savory from caramelized onions and garlic, whereas this dish is milder and nutty with fresh coconut.
  • Same: Pyaz ki Chutney shares urad dal and onions as core ingredients with this dish.
  • Different: Pyaz ki Chutney is a sautéed and blended condiment cooked in peanut oil with garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, asafoetida, and dried red chillies, rather than a deep-fried fritter made with fresh coconut, basmati rice, and green chillies.